Archive for March, 2010
Mining Directors Testify before Zimbabwe Parliament
by Admin on March 29th, 2010
The government-controlled mining companies Mbada Diamonds and Canadile Miners took control of the Marange mining area after title holder African Consolidated Resources was driven out by President Robert Mugabe in 2006. The companies’ directors, under the advice of Mines Minister Obert Mpofu, had previously refused to appear before Parliament for several weeks. Robert Mhlanga, representing Mbada, and Corgan Matanhire, representing Canadile, were questioned for more than four hours over Marange deals, such as the attempted auction of 300,000 carats of diamonds in January. The government had canceled the auction after it was discovered that the goods were not certified by the Kimberley Process. The hearing was apparently very heated, according to VOA correspondents reporting from the Parliament, with legislators unhappy over the responses they received and warning the executives they would face charges if they lied. Committee members also expressed concern that neither Mbada nor Canadile had experience in diamond mining, since Mbada is controlled by Reclamation Group, a South African scrap metal and iron dealer.
KP Chair Speaks of Zimbabwe and Changes to the Process
by Admin on March 18th, 2010
In his first interview as Kimberley Process Chair, Boaz Hirsch states that Zimbabwe is on his agenda and that he wants to form a workgroup to resolve problems.
Q: Concerning Zimbabwe, is the KP able to address the issues there effectively? Isn’t the need for a unanimous decision crippling? After all, all it takes is for Zimbabwe to vote against any decision relating to it to block a ruling.
A: KP is a consensus based process, it’s not perfect but it’s one of the building blocks of the process. The [Monitor’s] Terms of Reference is a strong document. The process is dynamic, and when you look at it … it takes time to check, validate information. We can’t do it instantly.
The monitor is quit a strong mechanism,” Hirsch claims. “In addition, we agreed that there will be another review mission. If it takes place regularly, we will have a good picture of the situation. It is important that the exchange with Zimbabwe continues, it’s important.
Q: Is adopting human rights issues a top priority of the KP?
A: This is a process that looks at human rights issues. Period. It looks at it via the diamond industry. It is still being seriously discussed and all the participants consider it a vastly important issue. There is a difference between human rights in the diamond industry and human rights in other industries.
President Mugabe Defends Mbada Diamonds, Canadile Contracts
by Admin on March 8th, 2010
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe defended diamond mining contracts the country’s government holds with Mbada Diamonds and Canadile Miners, according to ZimOnline. Mugabe added that the government is ready to begin selling diamonds now that a Kimberley Process (KP) monitor has been appointed to monitor their sales and distribution.
“There are two million carats now from Chiadzwa. We hope we can start selling and we hope that the yield will be invested and also assist us in raising the standards of living our people,” the president told journalists.
ZimOnline quoted Mugabe as saying, “Initially, we wanted ZMDC [Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation] to go into the area and start doing some mining and tell us what is there. We had a list of companies applying. Finally two of them, Mbada and Canadile, were chosen. They were recommended and I was shown the papers and their proposals. The ministry then decided that for now they were preferable to the rest. We said fine. They are the ones who are there now.”
The president added that some problems have come to his attention. For instance, he said that he was “dismayed” by press reports alleging that two senior officials of Canadile had been arrested.
“Diamonds are always an attraction — I don’t know of anyone who will not be tempted,” he was quoted as stating.
ZimOnline added that Mugabe also attempted to deny that African Consolidated Resources (ACR) had any legitimate claim on the Chiadzwa diamonds. ACR is currently locked in a contentious court battle with the government regarding these claims.
The United Nations Ready for Cote d’Ivoire’s Presidential Election
by Admin on March 5th, 2010
The United Nations mission in Côte d’Ivoire continues to monitor efforts underway as the nation plans its presidential election. The long-awaited polls have been postponed numerous times since 2005, with the dissolution of the country’s government sparking political chaos and street protests. There are a still number of tasks remaining before Cote d’Ivoire can resume its election plans, according to Hamadoun Toure, a spokesperson for UNOCI.
Toure said that the first task was to resume the appeals process on voter registration.
“The achievement of this operation will lead to the second crucial stage, which is the production of the definitive electoral list,” he noted. This step will be followed by the production and distribution of identity and voters’ cards.
The presidential polls are expected to end years of instability created by the civil war that divided the country into a rebel-held north and a government-controlled south in 2002. Rough diamond exports are currently banned from Cote d’Ivoire and only after a free and fair presidential election is held will the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) review its diamond ban on the country.
Kimberley Process Appoints Chikane to Monitor Marange Diamonds
by Admin on March 3rd, 2010
The Kimberley Process (KP) has appointed Abbey Chikane as its Zimbabwe monitor, the organization’s chairman, Boaz Hirsch, said in a statement released late Monday.
“Mr. Chikane, a founder chairman of the Kimberley Process, is visiting Zimbabwe these days — March 1 to March 3, 2010 — on a fact-finding mission to assess the situation and to prepare for monitoring the implementation of the joint working plan (JWP),” Hirsch said.
At its plenary in November, the KP agreed to implement a 12-step work program to bring Zimbabwe into compliance with the KP Certification Scheme (KPCS). Under the plan, Zimbabwe agreed to withhold any exports of diamonds from Marange until they were approved by the monitor.
“The KP monitor’s role is to liaise with the government of the Republic of Zimbabwe, as represented by the Ministry of Mines, in order to assess implementation of the JWP and report regularly to the Kimberley Process on implementation of the work plan,” Hirsch said. “The KP monitor will also play a key role with regard to the mechanism for the supervision of exports of Marange diamonds in compliance with KP minimum requirements.”
Hirsch explained that in order for Chikane to fulfill his mission, the Zimbabwe government has committed to ensure “full and unhindered access” to all relevant diamond production and processing sites, as well as to all relevant stakeholders from mining to exports, including representatives of government, industry and civil society.
Chikane’s appointment comes amidst increased controversy at the Marange mine, including charges of corruption surrounding contracts given to two South African firms to operate the mine. Furthermore, Mines Minister Obert Mpofu reportedly said this past weekend that Zimbabwe will sell the Marange diamonds outside the KP if the organization rules that its efforts to comply with its standards are inadequate.
“If the KP is unsatisfied with our efforts and wants to be difficult, saying that we have failed to comply with their requirements…we will not lose sleep, but rather, we will just pull out and not lose anything,” Mpofu said while addressing the Bulawayo Press Club on Friday evening, according to the BBC.
“The KP does not own the diamond trade markets. Zimbabwe will pull out of the KP and sell its diamonds to those markets,” he continued.
His comments echo similar sentiments expressed by President Robert Mugabe a few weeks ago.
Chikane previously served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT), but stepped down after his one-year term expired in September 2008.
