Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)

Since 2009, ZELA in partnership with other CSOs played an instrumental role in providing information and organizing meetings for CSOs to assist the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) to gather information on the human rights situation in Marange diamond mining fields and to assess the country’s compliance with the KPCS minimum requirements. ZELA has participated in all the KPCS Review Missions to Zimbabwe in 2009 and 2010 that were meant to assess Zimbabwe’s compliance with the KPCS minimum standards on the trade of diamonds. The Kimberly Process is a international scheme made up of governments, the diamond mining industry and civil society to curb trade in conflict diamonds.   

Within the framework of the KPCS, ZELA through its Head of Research, Mr. Shamiso Mtisi is coordinating the activities of the KP Local Focal Point (LFP) mechanism on Marange diamonds which was established by the St Petersburg Agreement of 2010. The Agreement calls for the appointment of a Local Focal Point by the KP Civil Society Coalition to assist the KP monitor for Zimbabwe, Mr. Abey Chikane in assessing compliance with the KP requirements. This mechanism was put in place in response to calls for improved monitoring of compliance by Zimbabwe with KP standards in Marange. A total of 7 civil society organisations act as the LFP instead of an individual or a single organisation. This was meant to ensure generation of credible information, strength in numbers and diversity of expertise. The organisations that make up the LFP formed a technical committee that functions as the LFP and these include; Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA), Centre for Research and Development (CRD), Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO), Counselling Services Unit (CSU), Crisis Coalition and Women’s Coalition.

The function of the LFP is to support the KP Monitor in assessing the implementation of the Joint Work Plan (JWP) which was agreed to by Zimbabwe and the KP in Namibia in 2009.  The JWP was meant to ensure that Zimbabwe controls and stop the smuggling of diamonds, engage investors, engage small scale miners, educate communities about the dangers of illegal diamond mining and embark on phased withdrawal of the military from the Marange diamond fields. The LFP technical committee members gather information from the wider network of CSOs and the community and pass this information to the KP Monitor or to the KP Working Group on Monitoring (WGM). The role of the Coordinator is to act as a conduit of information between the LFP and the KP Monitor or the WGM.

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