Kimberley Process

The Kimberley Process (KP) is a global negotiation forum between states, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the diamond industry, which seeks to regulate the trade in rough diamonds. The KP emerged in 2000, in response to growing concerns about the role of diamonds in funding brutal civil wars in parts of Africa. An estimated 4 million people have died in wars involving conflict diamonds. Specifically, wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, and Sierra Leone were funded through the sale of so‐called “blood” or “conflict diamonds” in the 1990s. In response, an international campaign developed, which sought to raise global awareness about, and to end the connections between, diamonds and war. NGOs accused the industry and the states of supporting rebel groups by trading these conflict diamonds. The United Nations also conducted investigations, which zeroed in on De Beers, the dominant market player, and Belgium, which hosts a key diamond‐trading center in Antwerp. Jointly, these global political activities shook some industry players and states into action.