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Learn more about conflict diamonds.
Learn more about the UN in Sierra Leone.
- UN Development Program (UNDP)
- Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
- UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
- UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF)
- World Food Program (WFP)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
- UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
Conflict Diamonds: The Facts
A conflict diamond is a diamond mined in a war zone and sold, usually clandestinely, in order to finance an army's war efforts. An estimated 3.7 million people have died in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Liberia, and Sierra Leone due to conflict fueled by diamonds.
In the late 90's, the Sierra Leonean conflict drew global attention to the ethics of the diamond industry. Sales of diamonds decreased and diamond companies responded, with the help of governments and NGOs, by creating the Kimberly Process to help prevent the flow of conflict diamonds.
Sierra Leone is at peace now and is also a member of the Kimberly Process. Stopping the illegal exploitation of diamonds in Sierra Leone is important in order to keep violence from erupting again. In addition to providing funds for the war, the diamond fields quickly became a reason to fight, as all sides battled for control of the lucrative mineral wealth.
Kimberly Process
The Kimberly Process was created in 2002 in Kimberly, South Africa to help end the sale of conflict diamonds on the international market. Through this agreement, the United Nations, with help from participant countries’ governments and the diamond industry, ensures that each imported and exported shipment of rough diamonds is properly secured with accurate documentation of the diamonds’ origins. Diamonds mined in any participant country are certified, indicating that they have been through the Kimberley process and can then be sold to other countries in compliance.
So far, 71 countries have committed to following the Kimberly Process to stop the trade of conflict diamonds. Some notable countries signed onto the Kimberly Process are the United States, all 26 countries in the European Union, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Israel. In 2003, George Bush and Congress passed the Clean Diamond Act, which acknowledges the United States as a full participant in the Kimberly Process.
The UN regulates the trade of diamonds with the ability to sanction countries that do not abide by the Process' guidelines. The Democratic Republic of Congo has recently been suspended from the Kimberly Process because, at present, rebel groups control diamond mines and have been using the diamonds to purchase weapons. Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia are the only two nations with large diamond industries that are subject to UN sanctions. The sanctions on these two countries were imposed due to rebel control of local diamond mines in those countries.
The Kimberly Process’ purpose is to put an end to the distribution of conflict diamonds by making compliance an asset to international diamond businesses. Overall, the Kimberly Process has been successful in curbing the distribution of conflict diamonds by stopping the free flow of rough diamonds and making it very difficult to sell diamonds without the Kimberly Process Certification. Currently, 96% of all internationally traded diamonds are conflict free.