Three members of the U.S. Congress have nominated an Ottawa-based organization to share in the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for its work against “blood diamonds” in Africa.
Ottawa-based Partnership Africa Canada was nominated, along with U.K.-based Global Witness, for its efforts to end the trade in conflict diamonds, which have helped fund wars and human rights violations in Sierra Leone, South Africa and the Congo.
The nomination was made by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Anthony Hall (D-Ohio) and Frank Wolf (R-Va.). It follows the signing of an agreement on an international certification procedure for rough diamonds. The agreement, announced at a recent conference in Ottawa, will be implemented by year-end.
During wars funded in part by the sale of conflict diamonds, nearly 4 million people have been killed and 6 million driven from their homes. Partnership Africa Canada was created in 1986 with the support of the Canadian International Development Agency and Canadian and African non-governmental organizations.
In a letter to the Nobel committee of the Norwegian parliament, the congressmen stated: “We are convinced that the goal of ending the scourge of conflict diamonds is achievable primarily because of the lengths to which Partnership Africa Canada and Global Witness have gone.”
More than 37 countries, including Canada, are working to solve the problem of conflict diamonds.
Be the first to comment on "Canadian group nominated for Nobel prize"