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The United Nations this week reaffirmed its support for a global diamond certification scheme to break the link between the illegal trade in diamonds and armed conflict.
At the 58th General Assembly plenary in New York on Wednesday, the UN urged all member states to actively participate in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme by complying with its undertakings.
The scheme, which came into effect on 1 January 2003, requires diamond-producer countries to control the production and transport of rough diamonds from the mine to the point of export. Shipments of rough diamonds are to be sealed in tamper-resistant containers and a "Kimberley Process" certificate issued for each shipment.
The Assembly welcomed the establishment of a peer-review system, which was seen as key to ensuring the credibility of the Scheme.
A review mission to the Central African Republic had been carried out successfully, to the satisfaction of all parties concerned, South Africa's representative Dumisani Khumalo told the Assembly.
He was confident that the proposed review mission to the Republic of Congo would help to clear up the discrepancies in diamond export figures there, and point the way forward in improving the effectiveness of control systems.
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