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Non-Profit Quits Kimberley Process
Dec 17, 2017 8:51 AM
By Rapaport News
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RAPAPORT... Impact, a Canada-based non-profit organization, is leaving
the Kimberley Process (KP), claiming the scheme is ineffective in policing the
diamond supply chain, the group said Thursday.
 Impact, formerly Partnership Africa Canada, made the announcement at the end of the KP plenary
event, which took place in Brisbane, Australia, from December 9 to 14.
The organization has been pushing for major reforms to the
KP, arguing that “lax trading practices” have allowed conflict diamonds to
enter the market, it said. It has also been seeking an expanded definition of
“conflict diamond” that includes abuses by governments and private security
firms, rather than just by rebels trying to overthrow national leaders.
“The internal controls that governments conform to do not
provide the evidence of traceability and due diligence needed to ensure a
clean, conflict-free and legal diamond supply chain,” said Joanne Lebert,
Impact’s executive director (pictured). “Consumers have been given a false confidence
about where their diamonds come from.”
The World Diamond Council (WDC), which represents the industry at
the KP, was “saddened” by Impact’s exit from the scheme, it said.
“We will miss their individual contributions,” said WDC
acting president Stéphane Fischler. “However, we welcome the fact that Impact
will continue engaging with industry on our common goal to protect the
integrity of the diamond value chain.”
Participants at the KP plenary discussed expanding the
definition of conflict diamonds, the WDC said in its Thursday statement. All
those taking part in the KP “must do what is necessary” to widen the scope of
the term, thereby ensuring consumer confidence in diamonds, the council added.
Impact will still collaborate with KP members that “genuinely
seek to end the trade of conflict and illicit diamonds,” the non-profit noted.
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Tags:
conflict diamond, Conflict Diamonds, impact, Joanne Lebert, Kimberley Process, KP, KP Plenary, Rapaport News, Stéphane Fischler, supply chain, WDC, World Diamond Council
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