Diamonds for Development

Diamonds helped fuel the civil wars of Sierra Leone and Liberia over the last two decades, prompting the UN Security Council to ban diamond exports by Sierra Leone between 2000 and 2003 and to impose a trade embargo on Liberia that is still in place. Following the outbreak of civil war in Cote d’Ivoire in 2002, the existence of diamond mines in the rebel-controlled north of the country raised international concerns that diamonds could contribute to the conflict. The Security Council banned diamond exports from Cote d’Ivoire in December 2005.

However, peace returned to Sierra Leone in 2001, Liberia’s civil war came to an end in 2003 and the conflict in Cote d’Ivoire appears to have stabilised. Guinea, which repelled an attempted invasion of its diamond producing areas in 2000 and 2001, has so far managed to avoid internal strife. A well-managed and effectively run diamond industry would be in the interests of the region as it would facilitate the transfer of a share of the wealth generated by the industry to the poor. Fair taxation and licensing would provide an opportunity to finance development projects in rural communities that have coped with the social disruption and environmental degradation that mining for diamonds brings..

Laying the groundwork for Alert’s involvement in this issue

Based on a contractual agreement with UNDP Liberia, we conducted research in three MRU countries and Côte d’Ivoire to produce a background paper for a Diamonds 4 Development conference. A two-person research team was deployed to MRU countries and Côte d’Ivoire in early February. The team spent more than three weeks and produced a comprehensive report which included a social and political analysis of the diamond industry in the region.

In collaboration with the Government of Liberia Ministry for Land, Mines, and Energy, and UNDP Liberia we organized a three-day conference which took place in Monrovia 28-30 June. The conference which was commenced by her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf brought over 140 participants from the four countries. At the end of the three days the conference issued a communiqué.

After the conference, the hosts - the Ministry for Land, Mines, and Energy; UNDP Liberia and IA - held a meeting in the office of the Minister for Land, Mines and Energy to discuss and design a strategy to follow up on conference recommendations. Per the recommendation of the conference we have agreed to establish a Taskforce, whereby IA will serve as Secretary. We have developed terms of reference and a budget, and are in the process of finalising them. The Taskforce will become active in the first quarter of 2007.

Read our report: The Current State of Diamond Mining in the Mano River Basin and the use of Diamonds as a Tool for Peacebuilding and Development

For more information contact Mohamed Yahya

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Last updated: February 2007