Botswana steers the Kimberley Process
Over 99 percent of world rough diamonds in circulation are conflict free KP review visit scheduled for Zimbabwe next month
The latest information coming from the Kimberley Process is that over 99 percent of rough diamonds in global circulation are conflict- free. Jacob Thamage, Botswana’s Diamond Hub Coordinator and chairman of the Kimberley Process ( KP) told a special gathering of the United Nations Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC) on ‘ Natural Resources, Peaceful Societies and Sustainable Development’ in New York.
Thamage made this bold statement as Botswana stamped her authority as the chair of the KP by not only committing to uphold the legacy of the KP mechanism to preserve and build- on the gains made over the years but also offerred to assist and support member states, currently at minimal compliance of KP Certification standards.
Botswana was elected as the KP chair under the leadership of Jacob Thamage last November, but was officially handed over the button by the Russian Federation last month. Thamage stated that over 99.8 percent of rough diamonds in global circulation are conflict- free. “This is a commendable achievement that has been realised through the commitment of the members of this tripartite coalition, i. e. Governments, Civil Society Coalition and Industry,” he revealed. He said this achievement should be preserved and built upon in order to continue promoting international peace and security, and to also provide value for all stakeholders involved in the global diamond value chain. In an interview with Botswana Guardian, and confirming his address, Thamage said he
told his audience that the Botswana Chairmanship has adopted the theme ‘ Diamonds, a catalyst for Sustainable Development’ and prioritised the following, amongst others: assistance and support to Kimberley Process member states that are currently at minimal compliance of Kimberly Process Certification standards; principles of responsible Diamond sourcing as best practices for Kimberley Process Members, Closer cooperation and Collaboration between the K. P as a UN entity and UN affiliated and recognised stakeholders such as UN Secretariat departments and Organs, the European Union, African Union and the five African Sub- regional Organisations; Unified technical assistance to all Kimberley Process
Member States; Establishment of a Kimberley Process Permanent Secretariat; Preservation of the Kimberley Process Tripartite and Building Back better from the COVID- 19 pandemic, including promotion of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development efforts. He said these priorities are informed by the mandate of the KP as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its principle of ‘ Leaving No One Behind’. “It is our firm belief that no KP member should be left behind on matters of compliance and utilization of diamond proceeds for development.” He said producer countries such as Botswana use proceeds from diamond sales to finance national development, which is why the KP is still relevant today and applies to a great majority of diamond producers. He said KP also has to continue to protect the integrity of diamonds for the benefit of all involved in the value chain as well as to earn the trust and ethical expectations of consumers who give diamonds their lustre and meaning. Thamage said: for Botswana to achieve, we will depend on the standards, rules, procedures of the KP as well as our experience as a major producer whose diamonds have been a catalyst for development. He said during Botswana’s chairmanship, he intent to explore pathways through which the effectiveness of the KP can be further enhanced so that producing countries, especially those with predominantly artisanal, can reap improved benefits of their diamond resources for both peaceful and sustainable development outcomes. Thamage said COVID- 19 pandemic disrupted lives and for the KP this meant they could not undertake the very cornerstone of the certification scheme, the peer review mechanism. “Our first priority is to rekindle the process of review visits and to also follow up on recommendations of previous review visits reports.”
Further that, this is in recognition that review visits, which collapsed due to the COVID- 19 pandemic, continue to serve a crucial role in monitoring compliance with Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. He said, without review visits, “It is difficult to know what’s happening on the ground and what interventions needed to be implemented to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the KPCS.” He said when the pandemic broke out; there were a number of participants waiting to be reviewed. “Since we are still reeling out of the pandemic and doing so at different rates, we have already reached out to find out which of those participants are prepared to host review visits. We already have one review visit scheduled for Zimbabwe in May this year.”
Thamage said, the second of their priorities is to implement decisions of the last Plenary. “We shall continue with the initiative of exploring and encouraging the digitization of KP certificates. We are conscious that not all Participants can move at the same pace on this initiative. Therefore, we shall seek and pursue opportunities for technical assistance and capacitybuilding to support those participants that are facing or may face challenges to fully comply with the KPCS’s existing standards or as they evolve.”