The Kimberley Process
The Kimberley Process (KP) unites governments, industry, and civil society to eradicate the global trade of conflict diamonds. By enforcing rigorous certification protocols and compliance assessments, the KP ensures that all participating countries maintain high standards that keep conflict diamonds out of the international market.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is the mechanism the KP uses to prevent the trade of conflict diamonds. Launched in 2003, it is enforced individually by KP Participant countries to ensure that rough diamonds in the legitimate supply chain are KP-compliant.
Although countries are free to join the Kimberley Process, joining implies mandatory implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)’s minimum requirements in their national legislation. Participating countries may only trade legally with other participants who have also met the scheme's minimum requirements. All shipments of rough diamonds must be shipped in sealed, tamper-resistant containers and accompanied by a valid and validated KP certificate guaranteeing that they are conflict-free. To certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free' and prevent conflict diamonds from entering legitimate trade, participating countries must implement adequate export-, import- and internal control mechanisms and commit to transparency and the exchange of relevant statistical data about production, exports, and imports.
The Kimberley Process is chaired, on an annually rotating basis, by participating countries. KP participating countries and industry and civil society observers gather twice yearly at intersessional and plenary meetings. Implementation of the KPCS by the participating countries is monitored through regular ‘(peer) review visits' and annual reports, as well as by regular exchange and analysis of statistical data.
Complementing the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme’s minimum requirements, the diamond industry - through the World Diamond Council - has established voluntary industry self-regulation applicable to rough diamonds, polished diamonds, and diamond jewelry “from mine to finger”. The so-called WDC System of Warranties requires that a written warranty accompany all invoices, guaranteeing the diamonds are conflict-free.
The World Diamond Council (WDC) is a professional diamond organization established in Antwerp in July 2000 by the diamond and jewelry industry to address the challenge of conflict diamonds. The WDC represents the worldwide diamond industry in the Kimberley Process and is a key player in developing and implementing the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
Due Diligence Guidance for Import of Rough Diamonds from CAR
If a Belgian diamond trader intends to import rough diamonds directly from the Central African Republic to Belgium, he will have to take into account the following:
- Before importing, the diamond trader is to perform enhanced vigilance to ensure that the rough diamonds are all originating from compliant (‘green’) production areas. This means the importer has to ask guarantees from his CAR supplier, that all diamonds indeed originate from any of these eight compliant areas. If the supplier indeed provides these guarantees, the Belgian diamond trader can import the shipment into Belgium accompanied by a valid and validated CAR KP certificate, according to the KP regulations. When shipping through Diamond Office, the accredited diamond experts will scrutinize the rough diamonds to verify their compliant origin, as they do for all rough diamond imports within the KP framework. Once verified, confirmation of the import of the parcel will be sent to the CAR KP Authorities.
- As part of industry self-regulation, the World Diamond Council (WDC) administering the System of Warranties, requests all importers to confirm the import of CAR KP certified shipments to the KP CAR monitoring team. Thus, when a Belgian diamond trader imports diamonds directly from CAR, he is requested to notify this import to WDC via secretary@worlddiamondcouncil.com.