Civil society organizations are gathering in Kinshasa to discuss governance in the Central African diamond sector. Delegates from the DRC, Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, Angola, and Cameroon will share their experiences and analyze the challenges facing this crucial sector.
The regional workshop of the Central African society on the Kimberley Process was launched on Thursday, March 28th in Kinshasa. This initiative aims to provide a framework for civil society to contribute to the efforts of states in diamond governance.
The Kimberley Process, an international initiative combating conflict diamonds, originated in response to conflicts related to illicit diamond mining in Africa. Currently, this process has around 86 member countries, including exporting countries, trading countries, and those processing these minerals.
Maurice Miema, the focal point for the Kimberley Process in the DRC, highlighted issues in the diamond sector, such as drastic production declines, valuation, access to artisanal mineralized mining areas, and community involvement.
With the increasing importance of strategic minerals for the energy transition, civil society organizations meeting in Kinshasa must intensify their efforts to save a sector that has lost the attention of regional decision-makers.
The workshop organized by CENADEP will focus on the embargo imposed on diamonds from the Central African Republic, partially lifted after civil society advocacy. It will also examine governance issues and the impact of diamond extraction on communities.
The Kimberley Process, involving governments, industries, and civil society, aims to contribute to the debate on diamond governance at national and international levels.
By bringing these actors together in Kinshasa, the goal is to refine a common strategy to address the governance challenges in the central African diamond sector.
The news team