Zim To Chair Kimberly Process And African Diamonds In 2022

By Lerato Ndlovu

Zimbabwe was recently elected to be Vice Chair of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) and incoming Chair of the African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) for 2022.

Addressing the media at a cabinet press briefing Minister of Information, publicity and Broadcasting Services Hon Monica Mutsvangwa said “Government is pleased to formally announce that Zimbabwe was elected at the plenary meeting held in Moscow from 8th to 12th November, 2021 to be the Vice Chair of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) for 2022.

“By practice of the Kimberly Process, this means that the country will automatically take over the Chair of the KPCS in 2023.

“The KPCS works as a tripartite body with the current setup having: Industry (represented by the World Diamond Council; Civil Society Coalition; and Governments.”

The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme is the core of the Kimberly Process, which is a multilateral trade regime established in 2003 by the United Nations General Council to prevent the flow of conflict diamonds. Under the KPCS, member States implement safeguards against shipments of rough diamonds and certify the diamonds as “conflict free”.

She stated that some pertinent matters to note on Zimbabwe’s assumption of the Vice Chair
of the KPCS include the following: Zimbabwe will immediately start preparations to take over the Chair and run the Secretariat in 2023; Preparations will also commence for the hosting of the two annual meetings of the KPCS in 2023, namely: the Intercessional and Plenary; Establishment of a skeleton secretariat to start learning from other countries in hosting the Chairmanship and Secretariat; Cognizant that Zimbabwe will take over the Chair in the year that the KPCS holds its Review Cycle, preparations in that regard will also commence.

At the same time Mutsvangwa stated that the country was again nominated as incoming chair of the African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) for 2022.

As the ADPA Chair, Zimbabwe will carry out the following mandate: Ensuring that African diamond producers present a united voice on the international diamond scene on matters affecting them; Promoting cooperation and information sharing amongst ADPA member States; Formulating strategies to improve the African diamond industry; and Engaging African countries who are not members of ADPA.

She concluded by saying that the results of the elections are an endorsement of Zimbabwe’s engagement and re-engagement drive with all nations of the world and the open for business mantra has resulted in increased respect for the country.