(TALKZIMBABWE) African countries threatened to leave Kimberley Process

COMMENT - The US, UK, Australia tried to use the Kimberley Process the same way they use donor aid - to micromanage the domestic and foreign policies of African countries.

African countries threatened to leave Kimberley Process
Posted: Monday, July 19, 2010 6:54 pm

LAST week African countries, led by diamond rich Namibia, threatened to leave the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme if Zimbabwe was not allowed to market its diamonds freely, the Zimbabwe Guardian has learnt. This is how the voluntary KP club came to authorise Zimbabwe to sell its diamonds in August and September 2010.

Western countries in the KP wanted to block Zimbabwe's certification, although the KPCS monitor for Zimbabwe, Mr Abbey Chikane, had produced a favourable and professional report on the mining activity at Chiadzwa.

The president of the International Diamond Manufacturers, Mr Moti Ganz, and the president of the Moscow Diamond Bourse, Mr Alex Popov, also came out in support of Mr Chikane, and against those trying to block Zimbabwe.

They said KP would be discrediting itself by failing to honour a report produced by one of its appointed monitors, Mr Chikane, who has extensive experience in the diamond industry.

The two men also challenged KP for trying to ban Zimbabwe diamonds because of a report produced by "diamond activists" and mere observers.

Farai Maguwu, a self-proclaimed 'diamond activist' was arrested for faking a document which was supposed to discredit the government's role in the mining of diamonds at Chiadzwa. Partnership Africa Canada and Global Witness -- the two civil society members of KP -- campaigned vigorously for Zimbabwe to be excluded from the KP process citing unsubstantiated human rights violations in Chiadzwa.

The KP stood to be discredited if Zimbabwe had voluntarily walked out as President Mugabe and Mines and Minerals Development Minister Obert Mpofu, had indicated the country would do if these Anglo-Saxon groups kept blocking Zimbabwe's certification.

African countries, led by Namibia, also threatened to walk out of the club if Zimbabwe walked out.

Cornered US, Australia, EU and Canada then agreed a deal that would have Zimbabwe export its diamonds with KP approval.

The last-minute deal brokered in Russia authorized Zimbabwe to sell two batches of diamonds under strict monitoring and regulation through September 1.

Mining experts estimate that Zimbabwe's diamond fields are likely the biggest deposits found in Africa since the Kimberley fields were discovered in South Africa a century ago.

The mines ministry says it already has about $1.7 billion of diamonds in storage ready to be sold. This is a very significant amount as Zimbabwe's total international debt is estimated at around $5.5 billion.