At its intersessional meeting in Antwerp during the week of 18 June, the Kimberley Process (KP) discussed draft reform agenda including broadening its definition of conflict diamonds.
“I think the industry has expressed a clear and unambiguous position,” said Stephane Fischler, Interim President of the World Diamond Council (WDC) – the group that represents the interests of the international diamond industry within the Kimberley Process. “We support a change in the scope of the KP.”
The meeting also addressed the topic of deepening the KP, including strengthening the control system and transforming KP recommendations into minimum requirements. Discussions also focused on the issue of KP professionalisation through the establishment of a permanent secretariat – a UN-mandated body to oversee the return of excluded countries to the diamond market.
The intersessional meeting was the occasion for discussions, prior to the decisions that the KP could take at its plenary session, which will be held in Brussels in November.
According to the Antwerp World Diamond Center (AWDC), the implementation of this new agenda will mark the launch of ‘KP 2.0’, a way for the KP to adapt to changing consumer demand.
