Tel-Aviv – The Intersessional Meeting of the Kimberley Process (KP), presided over by Israel as Chair of the KP, has concluded today June 24th. On the agenda of the meeting were a number of initiatives relating to the on-going work of the KP and to the consolidation of the process such the creation of an office for administration and support and the establishment of a Working Group on Trade Facilitation.

The center of attention, however, was the KP minimum standards implementation in the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe. The meeting convened in light of the second report of the KP monitor to Zimbabwe. In question was the continued implementation of the Joint Work Plan (JWP), agreed upon at the Plenary meeting in Swakopmund, Namibia in November 2009. The meeting was clouded by the arrest of NGO activist Farai Mguwu by the Zimbabwean authorities three weeks earlier and the reports of his condition.

The Intersessional could not reach consensus regarding the implementation of the JWP and the work carried out by the KP Monitor to Marange. As such, the meeting ended at an impasse. The KP Chair, Mr. Boaz Hirsch, has declared an impasse after night long discussions through the morning and called for another a meeting to attempt to resolve the differences followed by an extension to the Intersessional.

Mr. Hirsch, along with the Chair of the Working-Group on Monitoring, Mr. Stephane Chardon and Mr. Eli Izhakoff, President of the World Diamond Council (WDC), played a pivotal role in attempting to breach the gap between the sides. "This situation is unprecedented in the Kimberley Process meeting," declared the Chair, "but all parties are committed to further engagement. The KP is based on a partnership between governments, the diamond industry and the civil society.

I am committed to that end and I have asked Mr. Izhakoff to jointly convene within the WDC Annual Meeting coming July 14th-15th, in St. Petersburg, a mini-summit of the KP major stakeholders. Deliberations will continue in order to find a consensus based resolution." Israel will host the Plenary meeting in Jerusalem between the 1st and 4th of November of
this year.

You can Subscribe to our blog via E-mail, or RSS, or join our social networks community on LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn group, Facebook fan page and Twitter.

The Kimberley Process Intersessional meeting, due to end in Tel Aviv on June 23, has yet to conclude as discussions continue over the issue of Zimbabwe’s diamond exports. Guests from more than 27 countries attended the conference.

Following a lively debate during a session that was due to conclude the Intersessional, participants from the Working Group on Monitoring held a closed session to try to reach consensus. The session continued through the night and ended at 7am arriving at no consensus.

Deliberations are expected to continue later today. One of the participants in the closed door session described the meeting as ‘taking one step forward then two steps back’.

The Kimberley Process Report on Marange by monitor Abbey Chikane following his recent trip to Zimbabwe concluded that the country had reached the minimum standards of compliance with the Kimberley Process rough diamond certification scheme.

While the majority of countries participating in the Kimberley Process expressed support for Chikane’s submission, a number of countries and civil society participants objected to the concept that Zimbabwe would immediately commence exporting diamonds from Marange.

Swaziland   - Another Possible Candidate

Her Royal Highness Princess Tsandzile Dlamini of Swaziland, who acts as Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, has granted IDI a short interview, while attending the Kimberley Process intersessional meeting in Tel Aviv.

Though Swaziland has no diamond production, HRH Dlamini said her country's role in the diamond industry, "Is to facilitate and ensure a conducive environment for (diamond) production, and the compliance with the minimum KP standards is created and sustained."

You can Subscribe to our blog via E-mail, or RSS, or join our social networks community on LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn group, Facebook fan page and Twitter.

The Israeli Diamond Institute has launched a new upgrade to its online buyers' system during JCK Las Vegas, held in early June.

The new online buyers' system includes a live trading platform, where a buyer can define the type of merchandise he needs and suppliers present at the conference can respond immediately. 

"The new system is based on a live online feed," said IDI's Chief Marketing Officer Nissim Palomo. "Once buyers arrive at one of the seven international shows, instead of leaving a business card in every Israeli diamond supplier's booth, they can just enter their contact information and requirements into the system, and the information is sent to all the diamantaires present."  

The upgraded online buyers' system, system, developed by IDI's Information Technology department, is meant to expand international buyers' access to the wide array of products offered by diamond suppliers in the Israeli diamond industry. Israeli diamond suppliers would have real-time access to demand information, and can get a list of client contact details. 

The earlier version of the online buyers' system was introduced by the Israeli diamond portal manager Orna Chait at the Hong Kong International Jewelry exhibition held in March. 

"The system allows buyers to distribute their demands online, ensuring they won't miss any of the Israeli supplier present at the show. This is a faster, innovative way of conducting business, while preserving the Israeli diamond industry's tradition of offering innovative trading and services," said Palomo.

When buyers log into the system, it asks them to choose the appropriate category: diamond importers, diamond producers, diamond merchants or jewelers. 

Buyers are then asked to specify their diamond needs, and are given the option to choose by clarity, cut, carat, color and finish.

"The new online system provides online information on buyers' demands," said Chait. "Once the information is entered into the system, Israeli diamantaires get an immediate online alert about a buyer looking for specific merchandise and they can meet them during the show."

The IDI online buyers' system also allows buyers who are not physically present at a certain show, to enter their information and be included in the list of buyers available to Israeli diamond suppliers, as well as enjoy a wide range of diamonds and the Israeli diamond industry's trademark quality service.

You can Subscribe to our blog via E-mail, or RSS, or join our social networks community on LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn group, Facebook fan page and Twitter.