Ban on uncertified diamonds from Angola

Togo has banned the sale and purchase on its territory of any Angolan diamonds not certified by the government in Luanda, a government source in Lome confirmed to IRIN on Monday. The ban was disclosed by an interministerial commission which Togo set up to deal with allegations that it had violated sanctions against the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) by trading in diamonds mined by the rebel group. The measure was announced on Friday, one day after a visit by a UN commission that has been visiting West African countries to investigate the illegal trade in UNITA diamonds, AFP reported. The source said last week’s measure did not relate to diamonds from Sierra Leone. He said he was not sure whether any Sierra Leonean diamonds passed through Togo and whether the interministerial committee had discussed or would discuss the issue.