diamond news, page-24

Angolan Presidency in Kimberley Process to help countries with insecurity problems

Luanda - Angola during its presidency in Kimberley Process (KP) will focus on issues related to the international sale of diamonds, help producing countries with insecurity problems and bring them to the certification process of the diamonds origin, said on Monday in Luanda the minister of Geology and Mining, Francisco Queiroz.

Speaking to the press at the seminar of the Volunteering Principles of Security and Human Rights, Francisco Queiroz said that at this time at the level of Kimberley Process, a dialogue on its management model is taking place.
Still under the presidency of Kimberley Process, given that Angola will take up the chair as from January 2015, the minister said that the country will continue to transmit its experience because Angola was the first nation to create the Certification System of Diamonds Origen, as from this first experience that generate KP.
He stressed that it is historic fact and Angola has Word to say. “We have an important contribution in the domain of experience of exploring diamonds in Angola”- he said.
The minister said that Angola also has experience in the management of artisanal exploration of diamonds.
The artisanal exploration of diamonds is under the reconversion process through the system of providing mining voucher and organization of cooperatives of the artisanal operators.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is the process established in 2003 to prevent "conflict diamonds" from entering the mainstream rough diamond market by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 55/56 following recommendations in the Fowler Report. The process was set up "to ensure that diamond purchases were not financing violence by rebel movements and their allies seeking to undermine legitimate governments".
The effectiveness of the process has been brought into question by organizations such as Global Witness, which pulled out of the scheme on 5 December 2011, claiming it has failed in its purpose and does not provide markets with assurance that the diamonds are not conflict diamonds.