KP Process Intersessional Conference will focus on "Blood Diamonds to Peace Diamonds"

The 16th Kimberly Process intersessional conference will be held in Mumbai from 17th June to 21st June.  The inauguration of the conference took place here in Mumbai at The Grand Hyatt. The opening panel included Alok Vardhan Chaturvedi (IAS) KP Chair, Stephane Fischler, President, World Diamond Council and Shamiso Mtisi, Coordinator of the KP Civil Society Coalition.

This 5 day conference began with the panel outlining the values of the process i.e. peace, security and prosperity. The aim of the Kimberly Process is to create a multinational tool to avoid conflicting diamonds and create relevance by increasing transparency . Currently, India employs around 1 million professionals within the diamond industry and exports goods worth $24 billion. 

Alok Vardhan Chaturvedi, KP Chair said,  "The KP wants to focus on ‘from blood diamond to peace diamond’ and add a 5th C to the existing 4Cs- conflict free. It also aims to add another P to the current 4Ps which is Peace. In order to improve it's standards, the KP wants to encourage peer review and create a permanent secretariate." 

The diamond value chain is a comprehensive one, and the equal participation of each and every stakeholder towards the betterment of the countries where diamonds are mined is important.  

“There are over a million small and mid scale miners in African countries whose livelihood depends on what we do here at KP. The KP certification scheme is not just about commodity and trade but more importantly about people. KP is a one time opportunity to make progress in these countries,” said Stephane Fischler, President, World Diamond Council.

Shamiso Mtisi, Coordinator of the KP Civil Society Coalition, insisted on how the discussion over the next few days should be a frank one, “Despite the discussions of KP over the last couple of years, nothing substantial has been arrived at regarding the scope of KP. This is our last chance to make a change and also discuss about KP’s failure to address issues that are pervading in the mining countries as well as the threat of synthetic diamonds,” he added.