The World Diamond Council Wants Vigilance Against Marange Diamonds

Posted in News by Admin on January 29th, 2010

The World Diamond Council (WDC) renewed its call today for members of the industry to redouble their efforts to ensure that no diamonds from the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe are traded until the Kimberley Process (KP) monitor is in place and actively controlling exports from the area.

The KP has developed, jointly with the government of Zimbabwe, a mechanism to ensure full compliance with KP requirements throughout Zimbabwe’s diamond production pipeline, including for diamonds from Marange, the one region in Zimbabwe where there were substantial indications of noncompliance. 

“The WDC is committed to supporting this mechanism fully,” said Eli Izhakoff, WDC’s president. “All participants in the supply chain for diamonds are responsible to apply intensive due diligence to ensure that no diamonds from Marange are traded until the Kimberley Process monitor is in place and is controlling exports from that area.”

The WDC urgently reminded all industry members trading in diamonds —rough and polished, as well as in jewelry containing diamonds — to use the System of Warranties every time these products are sold. This system was designed to provide assurances through the entire supply chain and down to the consumer that they are not purchasing diamonds that have been traded in violation of any KP requirements.

Industry and consumer groups are again urged to visit www.diamondfacts.org to learn more about the System of Warranties, additional facts on the current situation in Zimbabwe and information about the good that diamonds do worldwide. Free, downloadable materials, designed for both the trade and consumers, explaining the System of Warranties and the KP are available there.