(Rapaport… December 31, 2003) The University of British Columbia’s Liu Institute for Global Issues will host an off-the-record brainstorming session on the long-term implementation and effectiveness of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) in Ottawa, Canada from January 13 to 14, 2004. The meeting will bring together leading experts on conflict diamonds from government, industry, United Nations (UN) expert panels, and research institutions. Guest speakers include Philippe Le Billon of the LIU Institute and Abbey Chikane, outgoing KP Chair.
As the Kimberley Process moves from negotiations to full implementation, the meeting aims to take stock of the state of the conflict diamond problem. An Institute statement explains: “Given the speed with which the KPCS has been developed, there is a risk that the ‘forest’ of conflict diamonds is being lost in the ‘trees’ of technical implementation. Furthermore, knowledge of the trade in conflict diamonds has increased considerably, particularly as a result of the work of UN expert panels, since the KPCS negotiations began. Finally, peace agreements, fragile though they may be, in the main ‘diamond wars’ – Angola, Sierra Leone, and the DRC – may create new challenges and new opportunities.”