CIBJO urges industry to refrain from Marange diamond trading

CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation announced its endorsement of the Kimberley Process and the World Diamond Council's Supportive System of Warranties. CIBJO stated its belief in the KP and its goals to prevent conflict diamonds flowing into the legitimate markets. To that extent, CIBJO expects full and timely implementation of the stringent controls pertaining to the Marange diamond production in Zimbabwe that were agreed at the KP Plenary meeting in Swakopmund, Namibia, November 5, 2009.

CIBJO joins the World Diamond Council (WDC), the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) in the organisations' commitment to end and prevent the use of rough diamonds to fund conflict anywhere in the world, reports add. At the 2010 CIBJO Congress, it called on members of the diamond, gem and jewellery industry and trade to significantly support industry efforts to eradicate trading of Marange diamonds, specifically until the Kimberley Process monitor is established and until it begins controlling rough diamond exports from Marange.

CIBJO commended the efforts of KP in joining hands with the government of Zimbabwe to develop a mechanism ensuring full compliance with KP requirements of all of Zimbabwe's diamond production, including those from Marange. CIBJO mentioned that the participants in the diamond supply chain are responsible to ensure no diamonds from Marange are traded until the KP monitor takes over. It announced that members in the jewellery supply chain trading in diamonds should use the System of Warranties every time these products (rough, polished, or in jewellery containing diamonds) are sold. This system was designed to provide assurances through the entire supply chain to the consumer so that they do not purchase diamonds that have been traded in violation of any KP requirements.