With the Plenary meeting of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) fast approaching, global organizations are voicing their opinions on what must be discussed at this year’s event.
With the KPCS playing a critical role in curbing the trade of conflict diamonds, the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) says the upcoming meeting will be an extremely important one.
“The Kimberley Process has fulfilled a decisive role for more than a decade in dealing with conflict diamonds which have been reduced to less than 0.2 percent of global supply,” says Ernie Blom, WFDB president. “This is extremely important because the diamond industry has shown consumers and governments around the world that it is committed to removing this scourge.”
The organization adds that the recent invitation the Civil Society Coalition to the KP meeting makes for an important addition.
“We note the invitation sent last week by KP Chair Ahmed Bin Sulayem to Civil Society Coalition members to take part in the Plenary meeting. The NGOs, which are part of the coalition, are one of the main pillars of the KP, along with governments and industry stakeholders,” adds Blom. “That means it is all the more important that they take part in the KP’s deliberations, and we hope that they will do so. It is important that the industry works jointly to show a unified approach, as this will help show consumers that we are working together.”
However, a member of the Civil Society Coalition notes that it is still boycotting the meeting. Despite an original acceptance of the invitation from the Civil Society’s KP representative, Albert Kabuya Muyebal, the organization says it is rescinding this statement.
Civil Society notes that because of the UAE’s failure to address concerns about its rough trade and for its lack of engagement with the coalition, it will not support the event.
Danny Singoma, the executive director of the Civil Society, says that Kabuya Muyebal was “not authorized” to have made the decision to attend on behalf of the group. As a result, the group will not be attending, and “[Kabuya] is receiving a suspension of 15 days and has been relieved of his representation of our organization at the KP,” Singoma told Rapaport News.
The Plenary will take place from November 13-17 in Dubai.
