【Cameroon】Illicit Trade of Central African Diamonds: Cameroon ‘Does Not Participate’

by

Editor’s Note

This article reports on the Cameroonian government’s formal denial of allegations made by a Canadian NGO regarding the country’s role in the diamond trade. The response is presented as a categorical refutation from an official source.

Government Rejects Allegations

The Cameroonian government has categorically refuted accusations from a Canadian NGO, Partnership Africa Canada (PAC), that the country serves as an entry point for the marketing of Central African diamonds, according to an official source on Wednesday.

Kimberley Process Context

It is recalled that the Central African Republic has been sanctioned by the Kimberley Process (KP), which guarantees diamond certification worldwide, due to the socio-political instability in that country.

Official Statement on Certification

For the National Permanent Secretary of the Kimberley Process, Kisito Mvogo, who is currently in the country, Cameroon has nothing to do with the illicit trade of diamonds from the Central African Republic.

“What we can guarantee to national and international opinion is that the certification of diamonds at the National Permanent Secretariat of the Kimberley Process has always been carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Kimberley Process. This means that we do not certify blood diamonds,”

he declared.

Argument on Export Volumes and Traceability

According to him,

“This has as a corollary the modesty of our exports. I was telling you about 500,000 carats in the Central African Republic. We are only at 2500 or 3000 carats. So, it’s a fallacious argument. All the more fallacious because diamonds have a fingerprint called ‘The Finger’ or ‘Foot Printing’,”

he added.

Diamond Traceability and Seizure Policy

According to Cameroonian authorities,

“Whenever we export our diamonds, we take photographs that allow international experts to study the said fingerprint, and by my faith, they have always proven us right.”

For Cameroon, there is no doubt that when a batch of diamonds appears suspicious, seizure procedures are initiated.
Cameroon prides itself on being one of the few countries in the world to have a very large stock of seized diamonds.

Full article: View original |
⏰ Published on: February 23, 2017