The government of the Republic of Congo says it will stop exporting diamonds until it improves its diamond trade following a July inspection by a U.N.-backed policing unit. The inspection resulted in the suspension of the central African nation from the Kimberley Process, a protocol set up by the world diamond trade in 2002 to curb the flow of “blood” or “conflict” diamonds entering diamond bourses.
The nations involved in the Kimberley Process expelled the Republic of Congo from legitimate diamond markets, accusing it of exporting smuggled gems. The mission found that virtually all the 5.2 million carats the country was sending on to the market each year were smuggled in from surrounding nations.
The nations in the Kimberley Process represent 98% of the world diamond trade.
The Republic of Congo’s mines minister, Philippe Mvouo, told parliament the ban was “disgraceful” and insisted his country is a sovereign state that is not run by “hoodlums.” Mvouo added that the ban would ultimately hurt artisanal miners.
In many African nations, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, and the Republic of Congo’s larger neighbour, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warring parties have funded battles by mining and exporting diamonds.
The Republic of Congo, which has nominal diamond production of its own, has long been accused of dealing smuggled gems from two diamond-rich, unstable neighbours, namely the DRC and the Central African Republic.
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