EC chairmanship of the Kimberley Process : from conflict diamonds to prosperity diamonds.

The EC’s main objectives hostilities in September 2002, the diamond-producing areas in in 2007 will be: of the Kimberley Process the rebel-held north of Côte d’Ivoire have been the last source of conflict diamonds. [...] Kimberley Process Participants have not • To enhance the fight against conflict diamonds by From conflict diamonds to prosperity diamonds been allowed to import Ivorian stones since the Kimberley strengthening the Kimberley Process through the imple- Process began. [...] The the DRC and Sierra Leone, and in countries such as Liberia Kimberley Process has recently tackled diamond smuggling in and Cote d’Ivoire where it supports the effectiveness of UN the vast Amazon region. [...] The • To support development and prosperity through a sus- Kimberley Process decided to send experts to the region to tainable use of natural resources. [...] Although it is not as assess the risks and to promote regional cooperation between such an instrument for development, the Kimberley Process Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana to improve controls and eliminate can support development by helping governments to loopholes that could allow conflict diamonds to enter the legal manage their natural resources effectively and by reducing trade.