• History
• The Kimberley Process: Development of an International Certification Scheme

History

International concern persists about the link between the illicit international trade in rough diamonds and armed conflict, particularly in Angola, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While "conflict diamonds" constitute only a very small percentage of the international diamond trade, they have had a devastating impact on peace, security and sustainable development in affected countries.

With leadership from Canada, the United Nations (UN) has taken several initiatives to address this problem. In 1998, the Security Council imposed sanctions prohibiting the import of rough diamonds from Angola that were not controlled through an official Certificate of Origin scheme. During its term on the UN Security Council (1999-2000), Canada played a key role, as Chair of the Angola Sanctions Committee, in pressing for measures to strengthen implementation of these sanctions. These measures laid the foundation for the adoption of additional sanctions on Sierra Leone, which placed similar restrictions on rough diamond imports from that country. Sanctions were also imposed on Liberia, given its role as a channel for illicit diamonds from Sierra Leone. UN attention to the conflict diamonds problem has been sustained. In January 2001, the UN General Assembly adopted resolutions, 55/56, calling for the development of an international certification scheme for rough diamonds to tighten controls over the diamond trade and prevent conflict diamonds from entering legitimate markets.

The G-8 has also focussed attention on this issue. In July 2000, at the Okinawa Summit, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien joined other G-8 leaders in identifying the trade in conflict diamonds as a key concern in the context of the G-8's work on conflict prevention. In Okinawa, Leaders called for consideration of an international agreement on the certification of rough diamonds. At the Kananaskis Summit in June 2002, under the G-8 Africa Action Plan, Leaders further pledged support for international efforts to address the link between natural resource exploitation and conflict in Africa, including the control measures for diamonds developed by the South Africa-led Kimberley Process.

The Kimberley Process: Development of an International Certification Scheme

The "Kimberley Process" (KP) is the principal international initiative established to develop practical approaches to the problem. Launched in May 2000, the Process was initiated by several southern African countries in response to growing international pressure to address peace and security concerns, as well as to protect several national economies in the sub-region (e.g., Namibia, Botswana, South Africa) that depend on the diamond industry. The Process, which was chaired by South Africa, includes approximately 44 participants involved in producing, processing, importing and exporting rough diamonds. These countries account for 98% of the global trade in and production of rough diamonds.

Canada has participated in the KP since its inception. Over the course of nine plenary sessions and two ministerial meetings, the Process has developed detailed proposals for an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. In March 2002, Canada hosted a meeting of the KP, which achieved consensus on the proposals for the scheme. At a ministerial meeting in Switzerland, on November 5, 2002, ministers committed to simultaneous implementation of the scheme at national levels on January 1, 2003.

The proposed international certification scheme includes several key commitments, including a requirement that all shipments of rough diamonds imported to or exported from Canada be certified under the scheme. It also contains trade prohibitions, banning the trade in rough diamonds with countries that do not participate in the scheme. Implementation of the scheme in Canada requires the establishment of new rough diamond certification procedures and import and export controls, which in turn require the establishment of new legislative and regulatory authorities. The Government has introduced legislation to put these authorities into place.