Kimberley Process member States fail to agree on conflict diamonds despite marathon night-long debate

THE weeklong Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) plenary session ended in Victoria Falls this Saturday morning after all-night deliberations that saw member States failing to reach consensus in some areas especially around conflict diamonds.

The delegates were supposed to produce a communique around 5pm on Friday and officially close the meeting, but deliberations dragged the whole night as member countries failed to agree on some issues.

Since a majority of issues were decided and with a few sticking areas, a resolution was made at 5am today that a statement of proceedings will be produced instead of a communique.

Former Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando who chaired the session, adjourned rhe meeting to allow delegates to rest, and deliberations will proceed virtually on a date to be decided by working groups chairpersons.

“At this atage let me adjourn the meeting. What is important is that we have a statement of proceedings. We will consult with relevant chairs or working groups and proceed virtually,” he said to delegates who included journalists that had now entered the main arena in anticipation of delivery of resolutions.

One of the areas members failed to reach consensus were the alleged role of diamonds in financing conflict in some war torn states, with the Russian/Ukraine war featruring prominently.

As the meeting ended, Zimbabwe officially handed over the KPCS chairmanship to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who will be at the chair for the next one year.

UAE had deputised Zimbabwe since last year.-chronicle