Dubai: The Kimberley Process (KP) Plenary held in UAE this week concluded with the announcement that it has appointed the European Union (EU) as its Chair for 2018. The EU will assume responsibility as KP Vice Chair in 2017 with Australia as Chair, and India will be the Vice Chair in 2018 when EU becomes the organisation’s Chair. Consequently, in 2019 India will become the KP Chair.
Accepting the decision of the KP, Mr. Manoj Dwivedi, Joint Secretary, Dept of Commerce, MOC&I, New Delhi, and head of the Indian Delegation to KP Plenary Meeting said, “With all gratitude we accept the responsibility to be the Vice Chair in 2018 and the Chair in 2019. I thank European Union for their prudence and maturity in collaborating with us to reach this solution which creates goodwill and no ill will in our forum.”
Earlier, India had held this position of KP Chair in 2008. “Our approach will be collaborative, democratic and transparent to take this illustrious process to a new era of digital relevance and capacity building so that there will be equitable distribution of capabilities and standards, especially amongst the African colleagues with alluvial mining in managing the KPCS and issuance of the KP certificates”, added Monoj Dwivedi.
GJEPC Chairman Mr. Praveenshankar Pandya said, “I am happy to know that India has been elected as the Vice chair for 2018 and Chair for 2019 of KPCS. I also thank the Plenary for selecting India to be the Vice Chair of Statistics too and express our deep gratitude for the same.”
Mr Dwivedi further believes that the Vice Chair of WGS will also help India in preparing to take bigger responsibility of the Chair seamlessly. He further stated that the progression of Chairpersonship has been from Australia, a producing country to EU, a trading country, and India a manufacturing country of diamonds. KP, in the hands of varied capabilities, ensures a perfect balance in overall improvement of the system.
He further stated that in the process, the responsibility travels three continents ensuring geographically equitable distribution too.
India has been an important member in the world gem and jewellery industry and this position as chair of KPCS reinforces our position and acceptance by the world. It may be stated that India successfully undertook the responsibility of Chair in the year 2008 also.
A European Commission press release reads: The European Union will have a unique opportunity to strengthen the effectiveness of the Kimberley Process as its Chair, in the context of the upcoming reform process. During its Chairmanship, the EU will reinforce and promote an open dialogue among the three pillars that make up the Kimberley Process – Governments, industry and civil society. The European Union has been at the forefront of the KPCS since the outset. The Union has been chairing the Working Group on Monitoring, overseeing the Scheme’s peer review mechanism and dealing with issues of non-compliance. The European Union last chaired the Kimberley Process in 2007.
Kimberley Process Readmits Venezuela
Venezuela will recommence exports of rough diamonds as members of the KP unanimously agreed to end the nation’s eight-year absence.
Delegates approved the South American country’s re-admission at the KP plenary in Dubai last week, Venezuela’s Mining Ministry announced.
The country committed to host a review visit no later than six months after the resumption of exports, the KP said in a communiqué.
Venezuela withdrew itself from the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme in 2008 over accusations traders in the South American country were trafficking uncertified diamonds to evade taxes on exports.
The nation shipped out 23,472 carats of rough valuing $$882,130 in 2005, the last year in it exported diamonds, according to KP data.
