It now seems to be becoming a pattern. Members of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme meet in Israel. The major point on the agenda is Zimbabwe’s rough diamonds from Marange. Some Western governments and human rights organisations vehemently oppose the lifting of the ban on Zimbabwe’s diamonds. African diamond mining countries argue that Zimbabwe must be allowed to sell its diamonds. The diamond industry says Zimbabwe must be allowed to sell its diamonds openly because they are going to get into the market anyway. The KP meeting ends in deadlock. But not so, says Zimbabwe’s Mines Minister Obert Mpofu. The country is going to sell its diamonds anyway. Everyone leaves the meeting happy. Each claims victory.
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Zimbabwe’s fate as to whether it can sell its diamonds from Marange on the open market will be decided tomorrow but there is already a complication- the Kimberley Process plenary which is meeting in Jerusalem has no specific recommendation to act on. A diamond industry expert says the KP review mission which visited Zimbabwe is August made a few dozen recommendations on various issues but refrained from making any recommendation about exports of the country’s rough diamonds from Marange.
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