PS-MSWG Publishes Letter Explaining Objectives

(IDEX Online News) – The founding members of the Precious Stones Multi-Stakeholder Working Group (PS-MSWG) have written a public letter to explain the aims of the group.

The letter is addressed to S. Sammy Mollel, National Chairman of the Tanzania Mineral Dealers Organisation, and is signed by Dave Bonaparte (Jewelers of America), David Bouffard (Signet Jewelers Ltd.), Annie Dunnebacke (Global Witness), Ashley Orbach (U.S. Department of State), Ryder Thomas (U.K. Foreign Office) and Ronnie Vanderlinden (Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America).

The letter thanks Mollel for a letter he sent the group last month expressing his concerns about the work of the PS-MSWG. "As Founding Members of the PS-MSWG we are personally reaching out to you to explain our original intent behind establishing this working group. While we appreciate your concerns and your interest in this initiative, we would like to take this opportunity to correct certain misunderstandings and factual inaccuracies. Given that your letter has been placed on the public record, we will also make this response available publicly and encourage you to distribute this response to others in your industry.

"Preventing trade in precious stones from financing conflict and associated violence and human rights abuses is a vital objective for the precious stones industry. The PS-MSWG believes that industry and stakeholders must address this issue comprehensively and credibly.

"The PS-MSWG is a forum for discussion and we seek to include the broadest possible participation. It is a unique platform that allows for communication among government, industry, and civil society. Members of the group have a range of views and we do not always agree. We do, however, seek to discuss issues of importance in a constructive, collaborative manner. We, as Founding Members, do not purport to speak on behalf of all participants given the diversity of opinions in the PS-MSWG but we encourage you to join the group and add your voice to the initiative.

"To help in our efforts to better understand the specific issues facing the precious stones industry, the PS-MSWG commissioned a study. The study, still in draft form, seeks to determine whether additional voluntary due diligence measures are feasible or necessary within the precious stones supply chain and, if so, identify how such due diligence measures might be applied to precious stones supply chains.

"Voluntary due diligence is a tool to prevent conflict financing and human rights abuse and is an important component of responsible supply chain management. The PS-MSWG is an open forum for discussion and consideration of these issues. The PS-MSWG has never suggested that additional regulation or legislation is necessary or desirable. Effective voluntary self-regulation is designed in part to avoid the need for legislation.

"One important example of a voluntary scheme that covers all minerals (including diamonds and precious stones) is the Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High Risk Areas (Due Diligence Guidance). This voluntary scheme is widely respected and was developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD) in partnership with industry, civil society and all 11 governments of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), including Tanzania. The United Nations Security Council has also referenced the Due Diligence Guidance.

We note that the Government of Tanzania is a participant in the PS-MSWG, represented by the Ministry for Energy and Minerals. Tanzania was represented at the very first meeting of the PS-MSWG in Paris in April last year. The ICGLR, itself, is, also a long-term participant in the PS-MSWG.

"We invite you and your colleagues to join the PS-MSWG to discuss these issues in open forum. We welcome the perspective you bring to the discussion," the letter concluded.