UN: Diamonds Smuggled From Ivory Coast to Mali

A UN report has found that Malian nationals are buying rough diamonds mined in the Ivory Coast despite a UN sanctioned embargo. Recently, rebels in the war-torn Ivory Coast denied that there is any diamond mining or trade in the territories they control.

According to Reuters, the UN team of experts dispute that claim, noting intensive mining was observed in November in a rebel-held area in the northern Ivory Coast as well as rough diamond trade conducted in the town of Seguela, in the same region. The UN experts have identified Malian nationals as the ones buying diamonds in the town.

“The identification of these Malian buyers further underlines the significant smuggling of Ivorian diamonds to Mali in violation of United Nations sanctions,” Reuters quotes the report to the UN Security Council.

Until now, there was evidence that diamonds were smuggled from the Ivory Coast to Ghana. The Malian smuggling widens the concerns that illicit goods are making their way into the legitimate trade.

Diamonds of non-Ghanaian origin had been found in a shipment transported from Ghana to Dubai, the report said.

At a recent meeting of the Kimberley Process, members decided to help Ghana officials involved in exports to identify diamonds not mined in the country. If the effort does not succeed in stopping the smuggling within three months, the country will be suspended from the process, halting all rough diamond exports from Ghana.

Mali is not a Kimberley Process member.

The UN experts estimate rough diamond sales by the rebels at $9 to $23 million.