NGO’s Welcome UN Report on Congo Diamonds
October 24, 02
Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada welcomed today the final report of the UN panel of experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They called on the UN Security Council to “strengthen systems aimed at halting the pillage of natural resources by corrupt officials, neighboring countries and rogue elements in the private sector.”
The UN report documents what the two organizations called “systemic and massive corruption in the diamond industry of the DRC, and the flagrant collusion of allied governments”, especially pointing out Zimbabwe.
The report, released Monday, calls on the UN to enforce financial restrictions on 29 companies and 54 individuals who, they allege, are involved in the exploitation of billions of dollars worth of diamonds and other minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In a press release Partnership Africa Canada and Global Witness call upon the Security Council to endorse the Kimberley Process, “but to insist in doing so, that it create a regular, independent monitoring mechanism to review all national diamond control systems.”