World Diamond Council (WDC) President Edward Asscher spoke during the Opening Session of the 2021 Kimberley Process (KP) Plenary, calling for Kimberley Process members “to agree to expand the conflict diamond definition in order to support long-term consumer confidence,” Rough & Polished reports.
Asscher highlighted the need of younger consumers for transparency: “The diamond is a product that has the potential to both speak to the aspirations of this new generation, as a natural resource with the potential of providing sustainable economic and social opportunities to the communities that produce it, or be rejected, as a non-essential luxury item. We have the ability to decide that choice, but we will do so only through actions and not empty words.”
The five-day KP Plenary meeting (November 8-12) is hosted in Moscow by the current KP Chair – the Government of the Russian Federation. During the week, Russia and Belgium signed a memorandum of understanding on the electronic exchange of information regarding KP certificates, intended to “the turnover of diamond products between business partners of Russia and the EU countries.”
Source: IDI 17-11-2021