Conflict Diamonds Are Crossing Into Cameroon, Report Says

there are conflict diamonds crossing into Cameroon, and that they have been investigating it for several months, noting that the team has an upcoming review visit to the nation.

He also said they are in “full agreement” with PAC’s recommendation that the governments of CAR and Cameroon revoke the trading licenses of individuals and companies that engage in illicit trade and hold them accountable.

When questioned about specifics in the report--including a shipment of 359 carats of what were possibly conflict diamonds to the UAE in March and the accusation that the KP focal point on the ground in Cameroon is implicit in illicit trade--officials from the UAE told National Jeweler via email that they have alerted members of the Cameroon review team to identify “possible wrongdoing” around this particular shipment, and said that its call for accountability includes any KP officials caught in illicit trade.

In his letter, Bin Sulayem also reiterated the UAE’s call for a permanent secretariat under the United Nations to address situations like those the KP is currently facing in CAR.

This issue of a permanent secretariat is one that was addressed at the KP’s recent plenary meeting, though its passage remains a subject of debate.

In its email exchange with National Jeweler on Wednesday, the UAE strongly reaffirmed its stance that the KP did indeed approve a permanent secretariat at the plenary, while other KP member nations and the KP’s Civil Society Coalition maintain that the KP merely recognized the UAE’s efforts on this front and tabled further discussion until next year.

Those on both sides of the issue do acknowledge, however, that the details of the permanent secretariat still have to be worked out under the incoming chair nation, Australia. Bin Sulayem stated as much in his letter: “As KP chair, we hope that the first steps toward implementation of the KP permanent secretariat can be carried out under our successor.”

This means that the permanent secretariat is not a function that’s going to be immediately available to address the current situation between CAR and Cameroon and that, PAC Executive Director Joanne Lebert said, is what is needed.

“We don’t have to wait for a secretariat,” she said, while noting that PAC is in favor of its establishment. “These are traditional blood diamonds. The KP should be taking active measures now.”

PAC’s entire report, “From Conflict to Illicit,” is available on PACWeb.org.