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Is the Kimberley Process B.S.?

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Is the Kimberley Process B.S.?

Posted by Enough Team on March 31, 2017

Note: This piece originally appeared in JCK Online and was written by Enough Project Director of Policy, Brad Brooks-Rubin.

Having represented the United States in the Kimberley Process (KP) Certification Scheme for more than four years, and been connected to it in different ways since leaving the U.S. government, I have seen many sides of the KP and those who work within it. The representatives from government, industry, and civil society are mostly working for positive ends and seeking to do good. That is not b.s.

The problem is the initiative is simply out-of-date and no longer represents how the world responds to supply chain concerns. Moreover, it cannot and does not achieve its principal purpose (stopping conflict diamonds). So, either it is overhauled in a massive way to reflect the times—i.e., to eliminate the universal certification system—or it will continue to face criticism like Rapaport’s. And eventually, it will simply fail. It is better that the KP evolve than completely collapse…

Read the full piece in JCK Online.