Mogae Calls on Diamond Consumer Countries to Cooperate on KP

Botswana President Festus Mogae, speaking at an international conference in Belgium, told European representatives that for the Kimberley Process Certification scheme (KPCS) to succeed, government cooperation at the diamond consuming markets is needed.

"I fully recognize that the KPCS needs constant vigilance and adaptation to ensure that no Conflict Diamonds ever enter the supply chain and contaminate clean diamonds such as those of Botswana. And for this to succeed we need the cooperation of all, including the consumer markets where such diamonds eventually end up," Mogae said at the European Development Days African Governance forum in Belgium last Friday.

"Where wrong doers are identified with clear evidence, the law should take its course. It is not enough to concentrate all our efforts only in the producer countries. People who benefit from the proceeds of Conflict Diamonds are party to the violation of human rights wherever they are."

The forum was attended by 18 African heads of state and other government and economic officials from Africa and Europe. 

Mogae also criticized NGOs that operate from outside of Africa and that work against African interests. "NGOs are an integral part of a mature democracy and we in Botswana encourage them to be partners with us in governance. Nevertheless, I am seriously concerned about the abuse of power by some local and international NGOs who use their access to major centers of power and cyber communication to work against the development interests of some of our countries, to the exclusion of all evidence in our favor."