On April 27, the United Nations Security Council lifted the six-year embargo on Liberia’s diamond exports that was aimed at prohibiting the sale of ‘conflict diamonds’ on the international market. During the 1990s, the illicit sale of these diamonds fuelled civil wars in Liberia and neighboring Sierra Leone that resulted in a quarter of a million deaths.

Alan Doss, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Liberia, issued a statement in which he congratulated the country's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and the Liberian government for “working hard to meet the conditions required for the termination of the diamond sanctions and for compliance with the Kimberley Process.” Created by diamond-exporting countries in Southern Africa, the Kimberley Process was set up in May 2000 to prevent illegally exported ‘conflict diamonds’ from being used to buy weapons. Members of the Kimberley Process have agreed to a certificate system designed to identify the origin of diamonds and to guarantee that they are legally exported.

 

A network of 10 government offices is being set up in Liberia to ensure that its diamonds fulfill the requirements of the Kimberley Process. “This process means a lot for this country, and we want for our diamonds to be used for development and not to support conflict,” President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf told Reuters after opening the first two offices on Tuesday. “The process means job creation for our people,” Johnson-Sirleaf added, a Harvard-trained former World Bank economist and the first female to be elected president of an African country. She faces the task of rebuilding a country with an unemployment rate of 85 percent, a problem that we alerted in our December 20, 2006 Constant Contact.  

"We have to ensure that we comply with all the conditions set by the U.N.," Johnson-Sirleaf said at a ceremony to open the first of the diamond offices. Johnson-Sirleaf had pushed hard for the embargo to be lifted so that revenue from diamonds can be used to rebuild her country. This is the Security Council’s second vote of confidence in the Sirleaf presidency. Last June it lifted an embargo on Liberian wood.

  

The Security Council voted unanimously to lift the sanctions, after establishing that Liberia has made enough progress towards establishing the necessary internal controls to satisfy the minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process. However, it also agreed to review, if necessary, its decision to lift the embargo in 90 days, based on feedback from the Kimberley Process on Liberia’s progress.

The IIJD calls on the Security Council and the Kimberley Process to continue to rigorously monitor Liberia’s compliance for the next three months. We strongly endorse continued assistance, support, and vigilance from the Kimberley Process, the Security Council, and the international community to help the Liberian government build the controls and strengthen the institutions necessary to monitor the ethical sales of diamonds that will fund Liberia’s development.

For more information go to:

Allafrica.com: “UN Envoy Welcomes Security Council Lifting of Diamond Embargo”

Reuters: “Liberia Relaunches Diamond Trade After Embargo Ends”

BBC: “UN Lifts Liberia Diamond Sale Ban”

France24.com: “UN Lifts Embargo on Liberian Diamonds”

NOTE: Liberians in the US face deportation under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) provision, which would only worsen Liberia’s already dismal unemployment rate while also forcing many firmly established Liberians to leave the US.  We continue in our support for these Liberians.  If you would like to support this initiative, we urge you to write to your local congress(wo)men or Senators and ask that they join the members of United States Congress Patrick J. Kennedy; Sheila Jackson-Lee; James E. Clyburn; Donald M. Payne; James R. Langevin; Stephen F. Lynch; Jim McDermott; Alcee L. Hastings; and Janice D. Schakowsky who have already signed a letter to President Bush urging extension of the TPS or grant of Deferred Enforced Departure.  Send gifts to Liberia Center C/O UHRI 31 Heath Street Boston, MA 02130.