U.S. Next KP Chair, Bows to Pressure on SA V.Chair

(IDEX Online News) – The U.S. will serve as Kimberley Process Chair in 2012 with South Africa as Vice Chair, members of KP decided. South Africa will become Chair in 2013. The outcome resolves some political wrangling that has become the order of the day for the Process in the past few years.

The decision on the next two chairs follows the approval of the agreement on Marange. Sources close to the negotiations told IDEX Online that the U.S. did not want South Africa as its Vice Chair. Unofficially, members accuse the African country of being a major violator of KP, something the U.S. did not want to be associated with.

The World Diamond Council welcomed the decision of the United States and South Africa to work together.

"The agreements approved and adopted by the KP on Marange, as well as on other important issues, including measures on reform, exhibit beyond doubt that the Kimberley Process is effective, resilient and viable," WDC said in a statement.

In particular, it praised the leadership of outgoing Chair Mathieu Yamba.

The WDC is particularly pleased that Plenary endorsed the need for professional administrative support to improve and further develop the structures and processes of the KP. 

Monitoring in Zimbabwe will commence as soon as November 5, WDC said, as KP "further proved its intent to enforce its requirements by declaring that unless Venezuela submits its annual reports and other statistical data by December 20, it will be removed from the KP."

While NGOs decided to boycott the meetings in Kinshasa, the WDC urges continued engagement with the Civil Society Coalition "acknowledging the essential role they play in the future success of the Kimberley Process."

International community gives thumbs up to diamond exports from the Marange region in Zimbabwe (above) Photo: Google maps