Speech by Hilde Hardeman Moscow, 17 May 2018

Transcription

1 Responsible Jewellery Council Speech by Hilde Hardeman Moscow, 17 May 2018 Dear Director General Ivanov, Dear Minister Moiseev, Dear Mr Andrew Bone, Dear Mr David Bouffard, Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you for inviting me to this Annual General meeting of the Responsible Jewellery Council. Thank you for inviting me to the number one diamond producing country in the world. And thank you for this opportunity to share with you some thoughts as 2018 Chair of the Kimberley Process certification scheme. Mr Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen,

2 You are well familiar with the Kimberley Process. This scheme to stem the flow of conflict diamonds, or rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance conflicts, as they are defined, has been operational now for 15 years. The scheme has had a positive impact. It has helped to significantly bring down the share of what can be identified as conflict diamonds in rough diamond trade. It has helped to change global and local attitudes. It has helped to spread the idea that natural resources belong to mining communities, not militias. That is meaningful. But more needs to be done. The sense of urgency remains. Kimberley Process participants launched a process of review and reform in This reform window is open until Getting this right is a matter for us all. This is about the effectiveness of the Kimberley Process, the delivery of its peer review mechanism, the relevance of its core document, the strength of its unique tripartite structure. Reform is at the heart of the EU Kimberley Process chairmanship in Further reinforcing effectiveness is at the core of our work. It remains our guiding aim for the months to come. Let me start with the Tripartite structure of the Process. Governments, civil society and industry work together for a common goal. Since 2003, this tripartite bond has known successes and challenges, but it has always been up to its task: to defend the cause of non-conflict diamonds. One of the duties of the Kimberley Process chair is to encourage the Tripartite to seek the best possible coherence in their actions, and support Participants and Observers where needed. The civil society coalition has been going through an internal process, aiming for

3 wider participation and a more active presence in the Kimberley Process working bodies. This process has our full support. It is with great satisfaction that we see this more active role taking shape. It is also with great pleasure that we see industry and the civil society coalition deepen cooperation. The active out reach of the World Diamond Council, for example by participating in the Mano River Union meeting in Monrovia this week, is a most welcome development. This brings me to my second point, alluvial and artisanal mining. The EU has been supportive to mediation in a number of Western African countries. The EU continues to support regional cooperation in the Mano River Union, focusing on capacity building, strengthening the rule of law and further reinforcing the social environment of mining communities. The EU encourages the plans of the Central African group of countries to step up cooperation along similar lines. Five diamond producing countries from the region will meet together at the June Intersessional in Antwerp to discuss such cooperation. Supporting the stability and prosperity of alluvial and artisanal mining communities is in the interest of all. Let me mention in this context the active role that DDI, the Diamond Development Initiative, has played in the registration of miners, with a programme that has strongly reinforced legal certainty for those concerned. This is just one example that contributes to our common goal: making sure that systemic violence and human rights violations in alluvial and artisanal mining really become a matter of the past. This brings me to my third, and forward looking, point. The stronger the stability is in fragile mining areas, the more trustworthy the Kimberly Process Certification System will be. We still cannot provide all providence guarantees for the consumer who wants to buy responsible diamonds. Different

4 avenues are being looked into. Technological innovation is one such avenue. Systems of warranty, due diligence or reliable certification are other possible ways forward. The Responsible Jewellery Council is showing the way in certifying the chain of custody in downstream and upstream diamond trade. An effective regulatory environment for a responsible diamond is an important element in ensuring a level playing field for the natural diamond as compared to synthetics. Ladies and gentlemen, Together with the Indian Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Reform and Review, the EU is actively preparing concrete action on reform. In follow-up to the conclusions of the Brisbane Kimberley Plenary last December, the EU has made possible an independent needs assessment for the possible creation of a Permanent Secretariat and a Multi Donor Fund. A presentation of this study is scheduled for the Intersessional. Another important task is to consolidate into the Kimberley Process Core Document the range of administrative decisions adopted over the past 15 years, and so is the question of widening the Core Document s scope. Last but not least, there is the crucial issue of the peer review system. A systematic and transparent organisation of peer reviews to Kimberley Process member countries is key to the credibility of the Kimberley Process. The EU is confident that working together with its Kimberley Process partners, tangible steps forward will be possible, with the principles of sustainability, inclusiveness, responsibility and dialogue as points of reference for us all.

5 I thank you for your attention. Moscow, 17 May 2018