(Rapaport… August 3, 2003) The publication of the new list of Kimberley Process (KP) participants has again sparked reactions from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) involved with the KP. Although they welcome the list and the fact that countries not meeting the scheme’s minimum requirements have been excluded, they are adamant that without regular impartial monitoring there is no way of ensuring that countries are actually halting the trade in conflict diamonds.
According to the NGO’s the 40 countries that made the list only meet the requirements on paper. The Participation Committee did not assess how laws and regulations are being implemented and enforced. Despite the new July 31 deadline and extensive discussions and negotiations lasting over three years, 24 interested countries have still not passed the required legislation. They will therefore be excluded from the scheme until their legislation is put in place, and will be banned from trading in rough diamonds as of August 31, 2003.