KP Civil Society Coalition

19/05/2026

At last week’s Kimberley Process Intersessional meeting in Mumbai, the Civil Society Coalition raised concerns about growing efforts to reposition the KP around marketing narratives, while long-standing governance, human rights and transparency challenges remain insufficiently addressed. The KP cannot market credibility it has not earned. Consumer confidence can only be restored through honesty, transparency, accountability and meaningful reform.

Civil society calls for tangible progress on:
💎 Preventing diamonds from financing conflict. Violence, human rights abuses and environmental harm linked to diamonds will not disappear behind marketing campaigns.
✨ Advancing diamond governance through honest dialogue that confronts uncomfortable realities rather than avoiding them.
💥Promoting responsible sourcing that prioritises the rights and wellbeing of mining communities, not merely consumer reassurance.
📈Increasing transparency in diamond trade data to enable public scrutiny and strengthen efforts against illicit flows, smuggling and fraud.

Read the KP Civil Society Coalition’s closing remarks at the KP 2026 intersessional meeting in Mumbai: 🔗 https://www.kpcivilsociety.org/activity/civil-society-concerned-about-the-repositioning-of-the-kp-as-a-natural-diamond-branding-tool-rather-than-a-conflict-prevention-mechanism/

MINES GUINEE - - Cenadep - Network Movement for Justice and Development - Relufa- Reseau De Lutte Contre La Faim. Environmental Law Organisation (ZELO)

Civil Society closing remarks at the Kimberley Process Intersessional meeting in Mumbai – 14th May We have witnessed with deep concern a growing tendency within this forum to reposition the Kimberley…

11/05/2026

💎 Plummeting natural diamond prices and shifting consumer preferences are putting the sector under unprecedented pressure. This should be the moment for a fundamental rethink of the Kimberley Process’s role, yet many Participants still appear focused on superficial marketing adjustments aimed at protecting the scheme’s reputation without addressing its deeper shortcomings.

The Indian KP Chair has centred the 2026 mandate on three principles: Confidence, Compliance, and Credibility. As long as a fundamental overhaul of this process remains out of reach, this Intersessional must at minimum deliver on the basic expectations of a scheme claiming to ensure a conflict-free and responsible diamond trade.

For civil society:
⚡️Confidence requires honesty: consumers and affected communities deserve openness about both the KP’s achievements and limitations.
✨Compliance requires delivery: responsible sourcing commitments cannot remain just words on paper, they must be integrated into the KP’s peer review and reporting mechanisms.
💡Credibility requires transparency: : meaningful scrutiny, public reporting and accountability are essential to maintain trust in the scheme.

Only higher standards and effective implementation will secure legitimacy for the KP and while traceability is increasingly presented as a solution to the KP’s reputational challenges, it is not a quick fix.

Discover our key messages addressed to KP Participants and Observers:

Civil Society opening remarks at the Kimberley Process Intersessional meeting in Mumbai – 11th May After yet another failed reform cycle, the Civil Society Coalition arrives at this Kimberley Process…

10/05/2026

After yet another failed reform cycle, the Civil Society Coalition arrives at the Kimberley Process Intersessional in Mumbai with pressing questions about the future of the certification scheme. Keep an eye on our channels in the coming days.

08/04/2026

Today the Natural Diamond Council initiates the first to highlight the positive impact of .
In African countries, natural diamonds are a lifeline:
💎 Supporting thousands of artisanal miners and their communities in the ASM sector
💎 Creating economic opportunities for individuals working or providing services to industrial mining companies
💎 Generating tax revenues and social dividends for diamond-producing nations.

Yet, these benefits are at risks
1- The rise of lab-grown diamonds is driving down prices and revenues
2- The natural diamond sector remains reluctant to openly acknowledge and tackle persistent challenges.

In our documentary Beyond Shining Illusions, communities in Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Lesotho have testified that diamonds are still tied to:
📉 Violence perpetrated by public and private armed actors
🚫 Environmental harm
💰 Limited socio-economic benefits
🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGZG6P6iL8E

For diamonds to create positive change, we must:
➡️ Acknowledge challenges and address them transparently
➡️ Commit to higher standards - not just in words, but in action
➡️ Implement these standards within the Kimberley Process and beyond.
Promoting natural diamonds means safeguarding livelihoods. Let’s take the steps needed to ensure diamond-affected communities truly benefits.

Interested to read more:
Read the takeaways from our latest webinar: Beyond Shining Illusions: Reshaping diamond mining and defending community rights in times of crisis
🔗 https://www.kpcivilsociety.org/activity/beyond-shining-illusions-key-takeaways-from-our-webinar/



Women on Mining and Extractive - Wome Sl HakiRasilimali Centre for Natural Resource Governance Relufa- Reseau De Lutte Contre La Faim. Network Movement for Justice and Development Cenadep Abu Brima

25/02/2026

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Abu Brima from Sierra Leone as the new Coordinator of the Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition. Mr. Brima was unanimously nominated by the 17 member organizations which are dedicated to promoting responsible and transparent governance of the diamond sector. His appointment marks the beginning of a 24-month term leading the Coalition.
He succeeds Jaff Napoleon Bamenjo of Cameroon, whose two-year term was marked by a steadfast commitment to strengthening the voice and space of civil society within the Kimberley Process. The Coalition commends him for his hands-on style of leadership and significant contributions towards enhancing the coalition's visibility,credibility, and impact within and beyond the Kimberley Process.
A member of the Coalition since its inception, Abu Brima has in-depth knowledge of the Kimberley Process and extensive experience in governance issues in the diamond sector and beyond. His background, technical expertise, and longstanding commitment to transparency, accountability and community benefits are major assets for the coalition.
His experience and determination will enable the KP CSC to consolidate its achievements, strengthen its role as an essential pillar of the Kimberley Process despite ongoing challenges, and broaden its contribution to mineral resource governance more generally..
Please join us in wishing him every success in his new role.

Women on Mining and Extractive - Wome Sl HakiRasilimali Centre for Natural Resource Governance Relufa- Reseau De Lutte Contre La Faim. Cenadep Botswana Watch Organisation International Peace Information Service Esther Finda Kandeh

26/01/2026

21/11/2025

This week’s Kimberley Process Plenary in Dubai concludes a three-year reform cycle. Once again, participants failed to agree on urgently needed changes, including broadening its conflict diamond definition to reflect the violence and human rights abuses that still taint diamonds today. Vetoes were thrown around from all sides, leading to a fundamental impasse.

The result is a KP that remains detached from reality at a time when challenges are overwhelming and the scheme refuses to take responsibility. Its scope remains a needle in a haystack. Communities affected by diamond mining are left wondering how this scheme can possibly be relevant to the many problems they face.

Read the statement by the KP Civil Society Coalition: https://www.kpcivilsociety.org/press/no-remedy-for-a-broken-kimberley-process-talks-in-dubai-end-again-without-reform/

This week, Kimberley Process (KP) participants and observers gathered in Dubai for the KP Plenary, which was meant to conclude a three-year review and reform cycle of the scheme. It is a massive…

18/11/2025

This week, the holds its plenary meeting in Dubai. This session marks the end of another reform cycle and puts the KP at a crossroads.
🔎The ultimate purpose of this certification scheme is to protect communities from diamond-fuelled violence and conflict – not to give consumers peace of mind, safeguard corporate interests, or shield governments from legitimate concerns that they themselves may be the link between diamonds and conflict today.
🔹Civil society calls on KP participants to stop closing their eyes to these realities as it is undermining the very foundations of this scheme and eroding public trust in the KP and the diamond sector at large.

Read the opening remarks by the Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition: 🔗 https://www.kpcivilsociety.org/activity/the-kimberley-process-2025-plenary-true-reform-or-irrelevance/


Cenadep Women on Mining and Extractive - Wome Sl Network Movement for Justice and Development HakiRasilimali Centre for Natural Resource Governance Relufa- Reseau De Lutte Contre La Faim. Botswana Watch Organisation International Peace Information Service

Opening remarks by the Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition in Dubai on November 17th. As we open the Kimberley Process plenary today, this is the moment for the Civil Society Coalition to recall…

13/11/2025

Over 20 years ago, the Kimberley Process (KP) was established by a United Nations resolution to prevent diamonds from fueling conflict. Yet, today, serious abuses and governance challenges continue to stain diamond supply chains.
November 2025 marks the end of the KP’s current reform cycle - a crucial moment to revise the definition of “conflict diamonds” and finally address ongoing human suffering in diamond affected communities.
As a pillar of the KP, the Civil Society Coalition urges participating states to reject cosmetic changes and adopt a definition of ‘conflict diamonds’ that covers diamonds associated with widespread or systematic violence and serious violations of human rights, regardless of whether they are committed by rebel groups, criminals, terrorists, private or public security forces or governmental actors.

🎥 Watch our video here 🔗 https://youtu.be/71M1mHL_PWA
A video produced by Bragaglia

According to the Kimberley Process (KP), 99% of diamonds in international trade today are conflict-free. Civil society, however, argues this bears little res...

05/11/2025

The Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition’s steering committee met from 20 to 25 October 2025 in Maseru. Together they evaluated the various activities against the Coalition’s strategic objectives and reflected on the activities for the coming months.
To strengthen dialogue between stakeholders, the committee held two important working sessions, the first with Letseng Diamond, operating a large-scale mine in Lesotho, and the second with local communities living near the site, in order to gain a better understanding of the challenges they face on a daily basis.