Can the Kimberley Process (KP) really reduce the flow of conflict diamonds used to finance military operations? The European Union (EU) seems to doubt that in an official statement issued this month, where it questions the KP’s ability to deal with the impact of Russian diamonds on the global market during the ongoing war in Ukraine. Since 2022, the KP has been unable to develop and agree on solutions to these issues.
The EU emphasized that the KP’s lack of action compromises the organization’s authority and the reputation of the natural diamond industry. The document states that in order to keep up with the KP’s original aim to restrict the sale of “blood diamonds,” it is crucial to acknowledge Russia’s involvement. The EU also criticized the current Chair of the Kimberley Process for baseless accusations against the EU’s stones trade policies, as the Chair is expected to remain neutral and not affect the cooperative spirit needed for the KP to function effectively.
Nevertheless, in their desire to impose pressure on Russia and reduce Moscow’s resources for funding its military efforts in Ukraine, the EU, together with G7 nations, enforced a ban on Russian precious stones. These actions can be seen as a response to the Kimberley Process not taking effective steps for a long time.
To ensure diamond supply chain transparency, the EU suggested an initiative to implement a validation procedure that allows tracking of the origin of diamonds. A special certification technology will be used to trace the journey of a stone from the mine to the seller. This solution is definitely necessary as an increasing number of consumers are concerned about the origin of the diamonds they purchase and prefer not to buy stones linked to Russia. Thus, providing certainty via such an approach will benefit both parties.
Despite criticizing the decisions (or their absence) of the Kimberley Process, the EU reaffirmed its loyalty to the organization and urged it to pay more attention to the following issues:
- Addressing the connection between mined diamonds and war zones.
- Improving the organization’s transparency and accountability.
- Strengthening the decision-making structures to ensure effectiveness when radical steps must be taken.
The EU stressed that the Kimberley Process must adapt to new challenges and stay true to its original goals. Although some decisions are tough, it is essential to remain a trusted and influential organization to prevent the sale of diamonds that fund violence and violation of human rights.
