If you’re wondering “what is the Kimberley Process” or “what is the diamond industry,” you’ve come to the right place. If you’re unsure about the process, read this article to find out what it is and why it is important. The Kimberley Process is an international scheme that was developed to monitor and regulate the supply of diamonds. Diamonds have been used to finance rebel movements and countless human rights abuses. During this time, the Kimberley Process has prevented millions of dollars worth of conflict from flowing out of the country.
Kimberley Process diamonds are cut
The Kimberley Process is an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. The certification scheme was created in 2002, after governments in southern African diamond-producing nations met in the town of Kimberley. This scheme aims to ensure that conflict diamonds are excluded from the world market by ensuring that they were cut and polished in legitimate, humane, and ethical conditions. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme requires that each shipment of rough diamonds is accompanied by a certificate issued by the official exporting authority.
The Kimberley Process is far from perfect. There is still a lack of transparency and independent monitoring efforts. The industry has not made the necessary changes to improve the standards of their own practices, despite the efforts of several civil society groups. The World Diamond Council was created to represent the industry at the Kimberley Process, but has failed to coordinate effective monitoring of its own trade. Meanwhile, governments have shown little interest in monitoring the diamond trade. Some people say that the Kimberley Process is nothing more than a public relations stunt by the diamond industry. But, Global Witness has found no genuine attempts from the industry to meet its own standards.
Kimberley Process diamonds are inspected
The Kimberley Process is a system in which rough diamonds from various sources are independently inspected and certified by an independent agency. The government of each country designates an entity that will oversee the certification of diamonds. These agencies have specific duties, including verifying that the diamonds are free of defects, as required by the Kimberley Process. In addition to conducting onsite inspections, Kimberley Process certificates serve as a legal and official record of the diamonds.
Each participating country will issue a certificate certifying that a rough diamond meets the strict requirements set out by the Kimberley Process. In the European Union, there are six community authorities that issue these certificates. To obtain one, rough diamonds must be presented to the Idar-Oberstein customs office. Upon passing all the required requirements, the customs office issues the certificate. The KPCS requires all parties to abide by the terms and conditions stipulated in the Kimberley Process certification scheme.
Conflict diamonds are illegally traded
The Kimberley Process is a system of organized international action aimed at stopping the trade of conflict free diamonds. Conflict diamonds are defined as those whose sale funds armed groups. However, the term “conflict diamond” can be interpreted broadly, and there are numerous exceptions. A recent example is the Central African Republic, a diamond-producing country that generates about $100 million in revenue annually. After a coup d’etat in the Central African Republic, questions were raised as to whether the Kimberley Process was being applied properly.
In Sierra Leone, the RUF currently controls two-thirds of the country, including lucrative diamond-mining regions in the north. Many of these diamonds are illegally traded, and the money raised from these sales funds rebel arms purchases, resulting in a continued war and displacement of civilians. In addition to Sierra Leone, armed conflicts have also plagued Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kimberley Process diamonds are traceable
The Kimberley Process is an international responsibility commitment for the supply of gemstones. Although it is voluntary and only applicable to participating countries, it still provides an essential tool for supply chain integrity. The process is a complex mechanism of international cooperation and intergovernmental consensus. It is used to implement an import/export certification scheme for rough diamonds. However, the Kimberley Process has critical points. Here are some of these:
Despite this, the Kimberley Process cannot control smuggled diamonds. Many of these diamonds are traded in order to hide human rights violations and avoid paying taxes. In addition to this, the diamonds from Africa cannot be traced back to their source. Amnesty International claims that diamonds from Central Republic of Africa are being smuggled into neighboring countries and sold as conflict-free at world diamond exchanges.