Introducing the Kimberley Process

The Kimberley Process (KP) started of in 2000 and has as its main goal to stop the flow of conflict diamonds.

Conflict diamonds are defined as rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments. The initiative holds participants from governments, industry and civil society. Together they seek to end the trade in illegal stones which has fuelled decades of devastating conflicts in countries such as Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone. The KP has formulated a Certification Scheme (KPCS) in 2002 that imposes far-reaching requirements on its members in order to make shipments of rough diamonds conflict-free.