World diamond industry leaders have convened in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, for a three-day meeting of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme to discuss the ongoing battle against conflict diamonds.



NGO’s have recently criticized the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), raising questions about its ability to deal with ongoing diamond smuggling in countries like Brazil, the Ivory Coast, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Guinea.



Global Witness' Annie Dunnebacke stated: “The clock is running out on the Kimberley Process credibility. It would be scandalous if uncooperative governments succeeded in hobbling it into ineffectiveness.”



Namibia chairs the KPCS, which has 49 members representing 75 countries. Israel, which is currently the Deputy Chairman of the Kimberley Process, is to chair the process in 2010.