Kurt M. Campbell Deputy Secretary of State | Official Website
The United States recently participated in the annual Kimberley Process (KP) Plenary meetings held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 12 to 15. The Kimberley Process is an international initiative aimed at increasing transparency and oversight in the diamond industry to eliminate the trade of conflict diamonds, a goal strongly supported by the United States.
During these meetings, participants decided to lift export restrictions on rough diamonds from the Central African Republic (CAR), contingent upon enhanced vigilance. The United States expressed hope that this decision would help ensure that the people of CAR benefit economically from their natural resources without undermining peace in the country. "The United States calls upon all KP Participants and Observers, including industry and civil society who advocated for the lifting of restrictions, to implement enhanced vigilance, necessary to ensure the responsible resumption of exports is done in a manner that benefits the people of CAR and supports the legitimacy of the KP." The U.S. has contributed over $650 million to CAR from 2021 to 2024, showing its commitment to supporting CAR's path toward economic independence and lasting peace.
However, there was regret from the U.S. side as participants were unable to examine Russia's diamond production role in funding its war against Ukraine. This examination was requested by Ukraine and supported by several countries, including the United States. Despite KP's mandate to address how rough diamond trade fuels conflict, Russia and a few other participants objected to this request. For two consecutive years, Russia also refused to back a public communique acknowledging Ukraine’s request.
The U.S. emphasizes that meaningful reform within the Kimberley Process is essential for its ongoing relevance. This includes actions through its Ad Hoc Committee on Review and Reform. During these plenary meetings, it was acknowledged that the United Arab Emirates will remain as custodian KP Chair with Thailand serving as vice chair in 2025.
For more information about oversight efforts in eliminating conflict diamond trade, inquiries can be directed to EB-Press-Inquiry@state.gov.
