Global Witness
The illicit trade in diamonds has funded wars and human rights abuses for decades. Global Witness was the first organisation to bring this issue to the world’s attention. Despite positive steps, the links between diamonds and abuse will only be fully broken when all companies involved in the trade change their behaviour
Reforms to diamond industry guideline on human rights and responsible business practice fail to meet international standards.
While the international community is working with the Central African Republic’s government and diamond companies to establish legitimate supply chains smugglers and traders are thriving in the parallel black market.
We first exposed the problem of blood diamonds in 1998. Since then we've stayed at the forefront of the fight to clean up the diamond trade. Learn more.
Global Witness (1) following research on the Angolan diamond trade believes that: 1. It does appear that the Angolan Government has listened to criticisms about serious loopholes in their operation of the Certificate of Origin system which came into force following the UN embargo on unofficial Angolan diamonds (UNSCRes 1173) of 1st July 1998. But it has taken over 18 months to do this and in the meantime the loopholes undermined international efforts to implement the UN embargo.
Representatives of the international diamond industry are meeting in Antwerp this October 7th and 8th for a high profile conference to discuss International Diamond Policies and Strategies. Former Vice President Al Gore and the President of Botswana Festus Mogae are to attend. However Global Witness, after nearly four years of proposals and industry rhetoric wonders whether the diamond industry has any strategy or policy for implementing the Kimberley Process regulations on January 1st 2003, especially the much-discussed industry run and audited system of warranties.
DIAMOND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE BEGINS New Approach to Africa’s Diamond Problems
In the lead up to a major diamond industry meeting next week, Global Witness is calling on key organizations within the diamond sector to live up to promises made to eradicate the trade in conflict diamonds. The conflict diamond issue will be taken up at the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) biennial President’s Meeting to be held in Sun City, South Africa, from 29 June 2003 to 2 July 2003.
Diamond controls in many countries are seriously flawed. But controls alone will probably never work unless diamond digging in some African countries pays more than a dollar a day. These are messages contained in two reports released today, prepared jointly by Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada, NGOs closely involved in the creation of the Kimberley Process diamond certification system.
Zimbabwe’s National Budget Statement acts as a small window into the country’s notoriously opaque diamond sector.
Diamonds, the DRC’s most valuable export, are one of several resources that have contributed to armed conflict in the DRC from 1998 to 2003. Although armed conflict has decreased in the DRC since the peace agreements signed in 2002, fighting between the national army and various rebel groups has continued in parts of the country, particularly in the east. Some of this fighting has centred around diamond mines and other areas rich in minerals and natural resources.
The deadly race to control Zimbabwe's new-found diamond wealth
For the Government, who are banking on $4 billion in mining revenues for 2019, this must seem like good news. But is it?
We welcome the World Diamond Council’s latest statements acknowledging serious human rights concerns in the diamond sector – but the real test is whether this will translate into industry action.