Leaders of diamond trade are slated to meet for a three-day conference here on Tuesday to discuss implementation of Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). This certification scheme regulates trade in rough diamonds.
India is presiding over the body for KPCS for the year 2008 which came as a natural consequence of it being the vice chair of the body for the year 2007. In November 2006, during the plenary of KPCS in Botswana, India was unanimously selected to be the vice chair of the body for 2007. Namibia is the vice chair of the body for 2008.
India is sixth in succession to hold the chair of KPCS after South Africa, Canada, Russian Federation, Botswana and European Union.
Under the aegis of United Nations, KPCS is a joint inter-governmental, industry and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds ? rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate Governments. KPCS imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’. As of June 2008, KPCS has 48 members, representing 74 countries (with the European Community and its member states counted as an individual participant).
Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was adopted in a ministerial meeting held at Interlaken, Switzerland, on November 5, 2002. India is a signatory to the Interlaken Declaration and is a founder member of KPCS.
Delegates from about 35 countries are expected to attend the 5th Inter-sessional meeting of KPCS in Delhi beginning from Tuesday and participate in the various joint sessions to take stock of the progress made in implementation of KPCS and discuss ways to strengthen the scheme. Global organisations like World Diamond Council (WDC), Global Witness (GW), Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) and United Nations will also be participating in the 3-day conference. India is sixth in succession to hold the Chair of KPCS after South Africa, Canada, Russian Federation, Botswana and European Commission.
All the working groups of KPCS would take a half-yearly stock of the implementation of the scheme and also plan for a year ahead. The inter-sessional is structured around working group meetings and does the background work for the decisions to be taken in the plenary.
