At the KP 2024 plenary session in Dubai on November 12, Feriel Zerouki, president of the World Diamond Council (WDC), called on all members of the Kimberley Process (KP)—including diamond producers, traders, manufacturers, and consumer markets—to help expand the definition of conflict diamonds.
Zerouki’s remarks follow last year’s deadlock at the KP plenary in Zimbabwe, which ended without an agreement due to lengthy discussions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The WDC, which was established in 2000 to represent the diamond industry in the development and implementation of the Kimberley Process, is currently tasked with leading efforts to broaden the definition of conflict diamonds. Under the current definition, a conflict diamond is a rough diamond used by rebel groups or their allies to finance armed conflicts that aim to overthrow legitimate governments. This definition does not include diamonds linked to state actors like Russia.
Zerouki emphasized that the WDC is fully committed to expanding this definition. However, she expressed frustration, saying it feels as though only the WDC and its allies, including the Civil Society Coalition, are pushing for change.
“I’d like to remind everyone that accountability for this definition is shared, and it is the responsibility of all KP members to engage and support this effort,” she said. “The World Diamond Council is here to pursue genuine reform, not superficial efforts or empty gestures.”
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