“The headline challenge of the past two years in the KP has been and continues to be Zimbabwe. We remain concerned about Zimbabwe’s lack of progress in implementing the minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process with respect to the Marange diamond fields,” Robert F. Cekuta, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy, Sanctions and Commodities in the [...]
ZIMBABWE’S former Ambassador to the United States and retired High Court judge Dr Simbi Mubako will chair a disciplinary tribunal to try suspended Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation senior officials who are facing 16 counts of corruption, according to the newspaper published by the government of Zimbabwe. The hearing begins with chief executive Mr Dominic Mubayiwa [...]
According to the Zimbabwean govt newspaper, the government of Zimbabwe will undertake an aeromagnetic survey of the Eastern Highlands to determine the extent of diamond reserves in Manicaland province. Mines and Mining Development permanent secretary Mr Thankful Musukutwa said this while addressing an Indian delegation that visited Zimbabwe last week to explore trade opportunities in [...]
According to the Zimbabwean government’s newspaper, Mbada Diamonds is to double its diamonds output once exploration work at the mine in Chiadzwa in Marange to determine the quantity of diamonds is complete.
The Chair of the Kimberley Process has called for vigilance against the laundering of illicit diamond shipments “I would like to remind all Participants of the provisions of the Administrative Decision and Joint Work Plan (JWP) adopted by the Plenary in Swakopmund, Namibia, concerning Zimbabwe,’ says Hirsch. Item #11 of the JWP establishes a “Supervised [...]
African Consolidated Resources Plc, the AIM listed resource development company focussed in Zimbabwe, has provided an update on ACR’s right to mine the eastern Marange diamond fields (‘the Marange Claims Area’). African Consolidated was successful in a High Court Judgement handed down on 25 September 2009 (‘the 25 September Judgement’) which upheld ACR’s title to [...]
“We can sell our diamonds our own way,” Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe told a trade and tourism fare held in Harare, according to local media reports. “We are trying to play their way, but we could go outside the KP system and do it otherwise,” Mugabe, is reported to have told journalists. The declaration comes [...]
Ingle & Rhode, the UK’s principal retailer of ethical jewellery and custom engagement rings produced using conflict-free diamonds and fair trade gold, comment on the revelations that Zimbabwe’s government have been using military force to partition diamonds away from UK-based company, African Consolidated Resources. African Consolidated Resources (ACR) and the Zimbabwean government have been in [...]
The reported human rights abuses in the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe are of grave concern to all who advocate responsible practices in the jewellery supply chain. The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) includes specific provisions regarding human rights and conflict diamonds as part of its Certification System, formally launched in December 2009. Marange Diamonds In [...]
The World Diamond Council has renewed its call for members of the industry to redouble their efforts to ensure that no diamonds from Marange diamond fields are traded until the Kimberley Process monitor is in place and is actively controlling exports from the area. The KP has developed, jointly with the government of Zimbabwe, a [...]
For more than a year, the World Diamond Council has voiced its concerns regarding allegations of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and significant examples of irregularities concerning Kimberley Process compliance. Following agreement of the Working Plan, in November 2009, the World Diamond Council said the world would be watching closely and cautioned the Kimberley Process [...]
Following is an open letter from NGO Human Rights Watch to Tiffany, Zale, Cartier and other major diamond retailers urging them not to purchase or sell diamonds from Zimbabwe: Dear Sir: I am writing to urge your company to publicly commit to not purchase or sell diamonds from Zimbabwe. Throughout 2009, Human Rights Watch conducted [...]