RAPAPORT… India officially took over as chair of the Kimberley Process Certificate Scheme (KP) on Tuesday (January 1, 2008).
The country was unanimously selected to hold the 2007 vice-chair position and therefore to take up the 2008 mandate as chair. It replaces the European Commission, which held the office in 2007.
Namibia will serve as vice-chair to India, after it was selected for the position at the KP annual plenary in November.
India is the KP’s sixth chair after South Africa, Canada, The Russian Federation, Botswana, and the European Commission held the mandate respectively since the KP’s inception in 2002.
“India as KP chair will continue to build on the traditions and conventions of the previous KP chairs and ensure effective implementation of the KPCS scheme, thereby ensuring growth of legitimate diamond trade and protection of livelihoods of millions of people across the globe,” the KP said in a statement.
“India will extend all possible assistance to participants to build effective internal controls and work in close cooperation with UN, KP participants, industry and civil society in order to continue the remarkable progress achieved by the Scheme in the past few years,” the statement read.