Representatives of African non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are among 300 experts from the global diamond industry gathering in Dubai for the annual plenary session of the Kimberley Process (KP), the regulatory organisation that aims to prevent the flow of conflict gems into the multibillion- dollar business.
The week-long event is the culmination of the UAE’s chairmanship of KP, which has been boycotted by some organisations claiming to represent African civil society in the KP’s three-pillar structure, alongside diamond-producing countries and the global diamond industry.
Five NGO delegates are believed to be attending the meetings, in defiance of a boycott called by the Civil Society Coalition (CSC), an 11-strong organisation led by the Partnership Africa Canada.
The squabble over the boycott has been a controversial backdrop to the UAE’s chairmanship, under Ahmed bin Suleyam, executive chairman of the Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre, where the emirate’s growing diamond trade is based.
Mr bin Sulayem, who has visited 14 African countries in the course of the year to discuss the diamond trade first-hand, said: “We look forward to welcome and collaborate with all participants here to engender positive change and progress for the future.”
A statement from CSC reiterated its opposition: “Our boycott must continue due to the lack of concrete action taken by the chair to address serious failings within its own jurisdiction that impact the integrity of the diamond supply chain, and consequently, the KP’s credibility”.
In the course of the year, the KP chair has begun the process to readmit Venezuela and the Central African Republic to the global diamond trade, and proposed a uniform international system for rough diamond valuation, which has been a long-standing problem for producers.
The plenary will also decide on two innovations proposed by the UAE: the establishment of a permanent secretariat for the KP under the auspices of the United Nations and the setting up of independent financing for NGOs, funded by the industry.
Mr bin Sulayem said: “This is an ongoing journey where more needs to be done, and by deciding upon these two proposals at the plenary this year, we strongly believe the KP will take a significant step forward in strengthening its foundation.”
Funding of civil society has become an important issue within the KP community. There are concerns that governments – mainly in North America and Europe – are endangering NGO autonomy by making them dependent on official funding sources.
Gems expert Chaim Even-Zohar, writing in Diamond Intelligence Bulletin this month, said: “The independence of KP’s civil society coalition would be severely compromised if its donors were allowed to dictate positions”.
Mr bin Sulayem said: “The proposal for an independent fund also centres on the issue of transparency, as it will allow African NGOs to participate on equal terms in review visits and missions, as well as KP meetings as observers, without any undue control by industry or any individual member of civil society.”
The Dubai plenary will also discuss the options for using Blockchain technology to monitor the provenance of diamonds.
fkane@thenational.ae
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