Mpofu praised for standing up to US

Mines Minister Obert Mpofu was yesterday praised by the African Diamond Council for standing up to the United States to get Kimberley Process approval for the Marange diamonds.

ADC chairman Andre Jackson said over the last five years, Africa had become more removed from the global diamond industry in terms of providing considerable influence and operative solutions through the KP for what is harmfully taking place within its borders.

The KP, he said, had become more concerned with saving its face and restoring its abandoned integrity than exercising its obligation to function as a globally effective diamond certification scheme that gives preferentiality to all its members

The United States assumed the chair of the KP this month with South Africa as the vice-chair. The US this week appointed diplomat Gillian Milovanovic as the chair.

Jackson said Milovanovic’s unyielding responsibility will be to enhance her home country’s nationwide diamond interests.

“We also realize that her efforts will be exclusively intended to advance the most rewarding provisions in support of the domestic diamond industry and those who derive benefit from it.”

But he warned: “Contrary to what the State Department’s KP appointment may insinuate, this occurrence will prove to be more distressing than Obama inheriting the reigns from Bush once she is able perceptively identify that KP corpse is ‘dead on arrival’.

“Unfortunately, what was enthusiastically praised as the birth of the Kimberley Process Diamond Certification ‘Scheme’ is now being disgracefully lamented as the demise of a Kimberley Process Diamond Certification ‘Scam’.

“The remaining supporters are only gathering in 2012 to bid it farewell and to pay their last respects to what should have been,” Jackson said.

Full statement

African Diamond Council’s (ADC) reaction to KP Chair selection

“In the global diamond industry, many Kimberley Process (KP) supporters have failed to realize that what is usually progressive for the members of the African Diamond Council (ADC) and our African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) is more often than not regressive for those who attempt to intensify the back end of the global industry.

It’s apparent that the front-end of the African diamond industry has become more cognizant of this usually concealed verity than those who haughtily join forces to suppress Africa’s diamond potential and unanimity.

In the Kinshasa Plenary meetings last October, Zimbabwean Minister Obert Mpofu took a bold stance by refusing to concede defeat to those sponsoring the U.S. State Department’s imbalanced agenda to undermine Zimbabwe’s readiness to ward off international humiliation.

Not only did Minister Mpofu unearth the U.S.’s exceedingly overstated intentions, he did a brilliant job exposing more of the U.S.’s ineptness and unforeseen susceptibilities as they fall prey to China’s onslaught to surpass them as the world’s top diamond consuming nation.

Just a few months later, the State Department is responding to their conquest in Kinshasa by frantically assuming the incoming chair position of the KP and by appointing U.S. diplomat Gillian Milovanovic to lead the KP’s incursion of desperate reorganization.

As she is crowned ‘first woman to head up KP’, the ADC is mindful that her unyielding responsibility will be to enhance her home country’s nationwide diamond interests.

We also realize that her efforts will be exclusively intended to advance the most rewarding provisions in support of the domestic diamond industry and those who derive benefit from it.

ADC members have not been persuaded in any way that the impediments of Africa’s diamond producers will be renovated by entities refusing to constructively commit from within, particular since so much destruction has been witnessed by peripheral intercession.

Over the last five years, Africa has become more removed from the global diamond industry in terms of providing considerable influence and operative solutions through the KP for what is harmfully taking place within our borders.

It’s apparent now that KP has become more concerned with saving its face and restoring its abandoned integrity than exercising its obligation to function as a globally effective diamond certification scheme that gives preferentiality to us all.

In the approaching months, many of us will be more equipped to thoroughly examine how the Kimberley Process chair will work more to empower the world’s top diamond-consuming nation in their efforts to legitimize supremacy.

Inevitably, it is this reality that will fail to encourage fairness or guarantee hindrance of any kind on the African continent.

Contrary to what the State Department’s KP appointment may insinuate, this occurrence will prove to be more distressing than Obama inheriting the reigns from Bush once she is able perceptively identify that KP corpse is “dead on arrival.”

Unfortunately, what was enthusiastically praised as the birth of the Kimberley Process Diamond Certification ‘Scheme’ is now being disgracefully lamented as the demise of a Kimberley Process Diamond Certification ‘Scam’.

The remaining supporters are only gathering in 2012 to bid it farewell and to pay their last respects to what should have been.”

Dr. André A. D. Jackson, Chairman

African Diamond Council (ADC) & African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA)

Luanda, Republic of Angola

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