What is the jewelry industry doing to insure that “Conflict Diamonds” are not entering the country?
In an effort spearheaded by Jewelers of America, International Diamond Manufacturers Association, and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, more than 60 countries have adopted a system to control the export and import of rough diamonds mined from January 1st 2003 onward. This agreement is known as “The Kimberley Process”. How does the Kimberley Process work? Kimberley Process certification requires that each shipment of rough diamonds be in a tamper resistant container and accompanied by a government validated certificate. Any country declining to participate is effectively barred from the international diamond trade. Why not reject all diamonds from Africa? Only a tiny number of the diamonds that come from Africa are used to fund conflict – the Kimberley Process says considerably less than 1%. However, the industry has a zero tolerance policy and will continue to work towards eliminating conflict diamonds entirely. Additionally, the revenues generated from diamond exporting play a
