China to chair KP next year

China was elected vice chair of the Kimberley Process Certification Process at the organisation’s intersessional meeting in Kimberley, South Africa, this week which coincided with the organisation’s 10^th anniversary.

This means that China will take over the chair from South Africa at the beginning of January next year.

There was very little debate about Zimbabwe this time even in the media apart from a single story entitled: Blood diamond trail leads to loopholes in Kimberley Process.

The story said the Kimberly Process was never perfect but the June 2011 decision to allow exports from Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond fields rendered it ridiculous.

The meeting which started on Tuesday and ends tomorrow was overshadowed by news that Zimbabwe should have its elections by 31 July, a move that is being opposed by several parties which claim this is impossible under the country’s new constitution.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti has complained that the government is not getting the diamond revenues that it expects.

In his budget speech last year, Biti said revenue from diamonds would fund this year’s elections. The government has no money for the elections which the Constitutional Court said must be held before end of July.

China is one of the biggest beneficiaries from Zimbabwe’s diamonds. Chinese-owned Anjin Mine says it is now one of the biggest diamond mines in the world.

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