Parly commends Diamond producers’ commitment to KPCS requirements
Legislators have commended the country’s diamond producers for their commitment to Kimberly Process compliance requirements.
Prince Sunduzani
The Kimberly Process Review team is currently in the country, conducting an assessment of Zimbabwe’s compliance with set standards of the organisation.
The Edmond Mkaratigwa led, Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, has said this was demonstrated by the security systems at the mines and sorting houses and steps taken by the companies to address challenges faced by their host communities.
The committee said the companies, Anjin Investments, Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (Pvt) Ltd ( ZCDC ) and Murowa Diamond’s willingness to address the problems faced by communities they operate in the long and short term was commendable.
The Portfolio Committee in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, diamond producers, the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) and civil society organizations (CSOs) embarked on a self-assessment of the diamond sector to gauge if the country was compliant with the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).
“The diamond producers in the country Anjin, ZCDC and Murowa Diamonds showed commitment towards compliance with the requirements of the KPCS as demonstrated by the security systems at the mines and sorting houses. However, it is important for the companies to ensure availability of documentation on request during such visits,” said the committee in the diamond sector self-assessment report.
“Diamond producers, that include Anjin, ZCDC and Murowa Diamonds expressed their willingness to address challenges raised by local communities in the short-term whilst others would be addressed in the long term. There were too many community-based organizations in Marange and it was clear that they were not always speaking with one voice, hence making it difficult for mining companies to address all the challenges facing the communities.”
The committee also singled out the approach by ZCDC to initiate a self-assessment on its human rights impact on communities through the Initiative on Responsible Mineral Assurance (IRMA), which it viewed as a positive step towards promoting responsible sourcing.
It also noted that most of the government agencies that were visited including customs officials were generally conversant with the KPCS requirements, saying regular training was necessary, particularly for new recruits.
The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme is the core of the Kimberly Process, which is a multi-lateral trade regime established in 2003 by the United Nations General Council to prevent the flow of conflict diamonds with member states implementing control of shipments of rough diamonds and certifying diamonds as conflict-free.