Blood Diamonds

A Blood Diamond (sometimes called a Conflict, Dirty or War Diamond) relates to a diamond that was mined in a war zone and sold (usually on the black market) in order to finance a war or similar activities.

US Policy

On January 18, 2001, President Clinton issued Executive Order 13194 which prohibited the importation of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone into the United States in accordance with the UN resolutions. President Bush on May 22, 2001 issued Executive Order 13213 which banned rough diamond importation from Liberia into the United States. Liberia had been recognized by the United Nations as acting as a pipeline for conflict diamonds from Sierra Leone.

United States enacted the Clean Diamond Trade Act (CDTA) on April 25, 2003, and implemented on July 29, 2003 by Executive Order 13312. The CDTA installed the legislation to implement the KPCS in law in the United States. The implementation of this legislation was key to the success of the KPCS, as the United States is the largest consumer of diamonds. The CDTA states: 'As the consumer of a majority of the world’s supply of diamonds, the United States has an obligation to help sever the link between diamonds and conflict and press for implementation of an effective solution.

Canadian Policy

During the 1990's diamond rich areas were discovered in Northern Canada. Canada is one of the key players in the diamond industry. Canada has been involved in many activities that have been helping the poverty and suffering in Africa even before diamonds were discovered in Canada. Partnership Africa Canada was created in 1986 to help with the crisis in Africa. This organization is also part of the Diamond Development Initiative. The Diamond Development Initiaive helps improve and regulate the legal diamond industry.

The Kimberley Process was initiated in May of 2000 by South Africa. Canada was a major supporter of passing this. Canada has passed several laws that help stop the trade of conflict diamonds. The laws deal with the export and import of rough diamonds, and also how they are transferred. In December of 2002 the Export and Import of Rough Diamonds Act was passed by the Canadian government. This act acts as a system that helps control the importing, exporting and transporting of rough diamonds through Canada. The Export and Import of Rough Diamonds also states that the Kimberley Process is the minimum requirement of certifying rough diamonds and a certificate is also required for all shipments of diamonds. This certificate is called the Canadian Certificate, it gives permission for an officer to seize any shipment of diamonds that don't meet the requirements of the Export and Import of Rough Diamonds Act.

European Policy

The European Union is the strongest partner of most African countries because they are a major donor or aiding development in third world countries. The European Community in 2001 adopted a strategy that tries to prevent conflicts in third world countries. The strategy has four main objectives to it. 1) Make a more systematic and coordinated use of European Union instruments to get to the root causes of the conflict. 2) Improve the efficiency of actions targeting specific causes of conflicts. For example the illicit trade of diamonds and small arms. 3) Improve the European Union capacity to react quickly to conflicts. 4) To promote international co-operation with all the European Unions partners. In June of 2001 the Gotenburg Program for the Prevention of Violent Conflicts was issued. This states that the prevention of conflicts by peaceful means is a major priority of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the European Union Security and Defence Policy.