Kimberley process

TIMELINE OF THE KIMBERLEY PROCESS

1998
June 24, 1998 - The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted a resolution, which prohibited, among other measures, the direct or indirect export of unofficial Angolan diamonds (those not accompanied by a Certificate of Origin issued by the Angolan Government). The Angolans showed no co-operation & as a result sanctions came into force on 1 July,1998.

1999
October 3, 1999 - Global Witness led a group of four European NGOs in a new initiative called ‘Fatal Transactions’. The group comprised Global Witness (UK), Medico International (Germany), Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa (Netherlands) & Novib (part of OXFAM). The coalition published a press release entitled ‘Campaign launched to stop billion dollar diamond trade fromfunding conflict in Africa’. It was accompanied by a PR campaign aimed at selected journalists & jewelry retailers that used mock diamond rings in jewelry boxes with labels attached giving negative statistics about the diamond industry’s impact on the prospects of peace in Angola.

2000
May 11-12, 2000 –- A forum was held in Kimberley to discuss the issues surrounding conflict diamonds. Thismeeting signified the start of the Kimberley Process (KP). July 5, 2000 - The UN Security Council voted to impose a world-wide ban on the purchase of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone. July 2000 - The World Federation of Diamond Bourses and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association met in Antwerp and passed a resolution creating the World Diamond Council (WDC). The resolution called for thenot-forprofit WDC to develop and implement a tracking system for the export and import of rough diamonds to prevent the exploitation of diamonds for illegal purposes. September 4-5, 2000 - A meeting of over 50 delegates from all the main diamond producing & importing countries, except Sierra Leone, DRC & India, was hosted by Namibia’s Ministry of Mines & Energy. The aim of the two days was tocomplete the drafting of a document outlining the working group’s proposals & also to draft a statement for publication by Ministers, both for ratification at a Ministerial meeting to st be held in Pretoria on 21 September. September 7, 2000 - The inaugural meeting of the World Diamond Council is

held in Tel Aviv, where it is agreed that the Council be mandated to develop further & implement acomprehensive plan to curtail the trade in conflict diamonds while minimizing impact on the legitimate diamond trade. September 19-21, 2000 - Governments, industry and NGOs finalized a document to be put forward at a forthcoming London Conference in preparation of a UN General Assembly Resolution (UNGAR) concerning ending the trade in conflict diamonds.

October 25-26, 2000 – An IntergovernmentalConference held in London (chaired by the UK Government) established a working document to be put forward for discussion at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). December 1, 2000 - The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a draft resolution on conflict diamonds, which became the framework for the introduction of a global certification system and for nations to devise and implementnational legislation regarding diamond trading activities. 2001 February 13-16, 2001 - The first time the term ‘Kimberley Process’ was officially used. A meeting of the 38 governments of countries involved in the Kimberley Process took place in Windhoek, Namibia. February 20, 2001 - The Israeli diamond banks issued a notice to their clients warning them of the conflict diamond issue, urging them tocomply with UN resolutions. They advised their clients not to deal in conflict goods. April 25-27, 2001 - The Kimberley Process inter-governmental group met in Brussels, Belgium to further the process of the global certification system. May 7, 2001 - UN Security Council Resolution 1343 re Liberia automatically took effect in the absence of evidence that Monrovia had stopped supporting armed...