Zimbabwe bans diamond exports
Zimbabwe has banned
all diamond exports, including those from a Rio Tinto unit, until
gemstones from its controversial Marange fields are certified by
industry regulators, the mines minister said on Thursday.
Obert Mpofu accused
Western countries of using the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme,
which regulates the global diamond trade, to ban Zimbabwe from
benefiting from diamonds.
“It is true that the government has, with immediate effect, suspended all diamond exports,” he told Reuters.
He added that the
ban affected Rio Tinto’s Murowa mine, which produced 124,000 carats
last year, and privately owned River Ranch, both of which are certified
by the Kimberley Process.
Zimbabwe has been
waiting for the certification of its Marange diamonds, and on Thursday
the Kimberley Process monitor, Abbey Chikane, said he would recommend
Zimbabwe be allowed to export the precious stones.
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