Nation to Join Kimberley Process

13 June 2011

Maputo — The preparations for Mozambique to join the Kimberley process of diamond certification are nearing completion, and the relevant documentation should be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly by December, according to the Minister of Mineral Resources, Esperanca Bias.

The Kimberley Certification Scheme is designed to ensure that diamonds sold on international markets do not come from conflict zones. It is aimed at preventing “blood diamonds” entering the market.

The system was devised after the apartheid-backed UNITA rebels in Angola, and later, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone used diamonds to finance their murderous activities,

Speaking last week at a meeting with companies that hold licenses to explore for diamonds, Bias said the government was speeding up moves to join the Kimberley process because of the “encouraging signs” that diamonds might indeed be discovered in the Mozambican subsoil.

“Our preparations for joining are advancing”, she said. “Several technical staff have been trained, and, through attending various Kimberly Process general meetings, we are familiarizing ourselves with the practices adopted by other countries”.

40 licences have been issued to 27 companies and individuals to explore for diamonds.

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