Zimbabwe’s trade future is top of the agenda of this week’s long anticipated meeting of the diamond industry watchdog, the Kimberley Process (KP), which got underway in the DRC on Monday. The four day meeting will see KP members discussing different issues affecting the global industry, and it is hoped that there will be some kind of clarification of Zimbabwe’s trade status.
Zimbabwe’s future in the international diamond industry remains unclear, after the new KP Chairman Mathieu Yamba earlier this year unilaterally gave the country the green light to resume exporting its diamonds. This was despite a lack of consensus from the rest of the KP, with some members still concerned that Zimbabwe is not meeting the minimum standards of international trade. These concerns have been echoed by civil society groups and human rights organisations, who have all warned that smuggling and human rights abuses are continuing at Chiadzwa.
Despite these concerns, pressure continued building on the KP to allow Zimbabwe to resume exporting. Top KP members, including South Africa, have all thrown their weight behind Zimbabwe, declaring their support for the Zim industry. China and India have also pledged their support.
Gabriel Shumba from the Zimbabwe Blood Diamonds Campaign told SW Radio Africa on Tuesday that the support shown by some African countries was the result of “misguided solidarity” to Robert Mugabe. Shumba said that the situation in the Chiadzwa diamond fields has not improved, and the KP should impose a continued suspension on Zimbabwe.
“It is important to stress that the demand for accountability is a demand that seeks to benefit the people of Zimbabwe, and is not a demand inspired by any hangover of colonial attitudes, like the Mines Ministry has said,” Shumba said.
He added: “In the event that the KP allows Zimbabwe to resume exports, then it is critical that civil society organisations and trading blocs and groups take the necessary action to ensure that Zimbabwe diamonds don’t contaminate the industry.”
Meanwhile, Mines Minister Obert Mpofu said this week that Zimbabwe must be allowed to export its diamonds without any monitoring; again insisting the country has met the minimum requirements of the KP.
“Tell me of any country in Africa that has invested as we have done in the (Chiadzwa) area,” Mpofu told the state media. “Any other outstanding issues must be regarded as work in progress, but must not stop our full diamond export right.” He added that Zimbabwe “is not being treated fairly.”
Post published in: Zimbabwe News