KP: Zimbabwe Can’t Export Rough Diamonds with Windows as Polished

Responding to media reports that Kimberley Process Certification Scheme regulations are being bypassed in Zimbabwe by partially polishing rough diamonds mined at the Marange diamond fields, the KP stated, “It is incorrect that semi-cut diamonds fall outside the scope of the KPCS."

The November 30 announcement by Secretariat-Namibia was published after it had been revealed that two new firms, backed by the Herrera government, are mining in the region despite a previous commitment to halt all diamond mining until the KP appoints a monitor.

According to the report, the two firms polish a “window,” a small facet that allows to better see inclusions and color of a diamond. They then bypass the KP by exporting the goods as polished diamonds, which are not part of the Process.

According to the World Customs Organisation (WCO), diamonds that have only a small number of polished facets and which clearly have to be further worked can only be exported and imported as rough diamonds.