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The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) distributed a letter, written by Mathieu Yamba, Chair of the Kimberley Process, to all of its 29 members, to draw attention to what Yamba called “the situation in Côte d’Ivoire which is a cause for concern for the Kimberley Process in consideration of the risk of re-emergence of conflict diamonds in Côte d’Ivoire and an increase in rough diamond smuggling throughout West Africa.” A copy of the letter can be downloaded here in French and in English.
The WFDB asked the WFDB affiliated bourses to advise their members of the KP letter and assure that its contents are posted - accompanied by a translation in the various local languages - on the bourses’ notice boards and websites.
The WFDB’s notice followed a message from WFDB President Avi Paz sent earlier this year, calling on the WFDB member bourses to convene members’ meetings to discuss how to protect the reputation of the WFDB-affiliated diamond bourses and their members.
Paz had proposed that the management of individual bourses should prepare presentations in their native language on the Kimberley Process Certification Process (KPCS), and the absolute ban on conflict diamonds as expressed in the rules and regulation of the WFDB. In addition, bourses should provide information on the absolute ban on trading in conflict diamonds as laid out in the rules and regulations of each individual bourse, as well as a refresher on the rules and regulations of diamond imports and exports in each country.
“I cannot stress enough how important it is that each individual diamantaire who holds bourse membership is completely up to speed as to the requirements, rules and regulations concerning the ban on trading in diamonds originating in areas and regions of conflict,” Paz stated.
