Kimberley Process Declares Three More Areas in CAR as 'Compliant Zones'

(IDEX Online) – Kimberley Process (KP) Chair Ahmed Bin Sulayem said that the KP Central African Republic (CAR) Monitoring team has declared three more sub-prefectures, Boda, Carnot and Nola, as ‘Compliant Zones’.

Bin Sulayem has communicated the decision to all KP participants and observers. CAR's KP Focal Point has been invited to bring this decision to the attention of customs officials, diamond traders and other relevant stakeholders in the CAR, Bin Sulayem said in a statement.

“This latest good news for CAR comes just five months after the UAE Intersessional meeting, held in Dubai in May, where the KP took a unanimous decision to allow resumption of exports from the sub-prefecture of Berberati. To date, two shipments have been exported from Berberati successfully. Good progress has been made and hopefully we can move forward to a further normalization of the situation in the Western Zone of the CAR.”

The KP banned exports of rough diamonds from the entire Central African Republic in May 2013 after rebels seized control of the country from the then-President François Bozizé and evidence surfaced that they were using sales of diamonds to fund their activities. Diamond mining, particularly alluvial (small-scale) operations, is one of the country's main sources of revenue.

In July 2015, the KP agreed in principle that the Central African Republic could resume exports as long as it established "green zones" and put in place procedures to ensure their diamonds could be traced to areas defined as compliant zones. A compliant zone is one that is free of conflict and one where it is known that diamond revenues are not being funneled into the hands of rebel groups.

The KP Monitoring Team will seek further contact with CAR's KP Focal Point to confirm the schedule for the team's monthly inspections of export shipments.