Challenges to Oversight of Diamond Industry in Western African Countries

Western African countries – the Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia – spent the afternoon of the second day of the Kimberley Process plenary meeting in a meeting about oversight on diamonds in these countries.

At the meeting, representatives of civil organizations working in these countries presented the issues they face when investigating the field of diamond mining, diamond trade, diamond exports and oversight of the diamond industry. Each representative explained the issues particular to his or her country, although the entire region faces similar problems. The reports were as follows:

The Ivory Coast is under a United Nations embargo and any diamonds exported from the country are done so illegally. The geographical structure and political situation make it impossible for the Ivorian government to oversee what happens in the mining region, which are under rebel control.

In Sierra Leone there are an insufficient number of government inspectors that can inspect the mining industry. In addition, some residents hold dual citizenship and can pass over borders unhindered.

Guinea faces diamond smuggling by both the miners and the mining inspectors and has open borders, meaning there is no obstacle to transferring diamonds. Another problem is the local population's low awareness of the Kimberley Process and its significance.

In Liberia, challenges include difficulties in reporting to the government on what happens in the field, and moreover the various government offices charged with dealing with the issue are often not coordinated.

Government representatives of each of these countries answered the civil organizations, saying that the governments were aware of the issue of open borders. They said that the governments were making an effort to improve official diamond trade and that they all needed funds and technical support to develop their programs for diamond industry oversight.

Mark van Bockstael, Chairman of the KP Working Group of Diamond Experts, noted that the countries in question had in place international agreements designed to promote trade. Therefore, there are in effect no borders and citizens of all four nations can easily move from country to country freely, which raises questions the Kimberley Process will have to address.