Press Release: Kimberley Process Plenary meeting further strengthens international efforts to combat trade with conflict diamonds

The Kimberley Process Plenary meeting was held in Swakopmund (Namibia) from 2 to 5 November 2009 and adopted important decisions to enhance the international fight against conflict diamonds. The participants of the Kimberley Process notably reviewed the situation in the Marange diamond mining area of Zimbabwe, in light of non-compliance with the requirements of the Kimberley Process and reports of violence and human rights violations. A work plan was agreed with Zimbabwe providing for necessary actions to bring diamond mining in Marange into compliance with the Kimberley Process. The implementation of the work plan will be closely monitored, and exports of Marange diamonds will be subject to prior verification of compliance. In addition, the Kimberley Process Plenary adopted key decisions concerning the cooperation on enforcement of the rules, and decided to pursue monitoring of ‘conflict diamonds’ from Côte d’Ivoire in light of UNSC resolution 1893 (2009).