United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2002-06-14 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GAO-02-678 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-678 P0b002ee18039ef7f f:d02678 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-678 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-678 GAO-02-678 Foreign governments International cooperation International organizations International relations International trade Precious stones Crime prevention Angola Democratic Republic of the Congo Kimberley Process Sierra Leone Liberia Other Written Product A03593

The United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly defines conflict diamonds as rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance their military activities, including attempts to undermine or overthrow legitimate governments. The United States and much of the international community are trying to sever the link between conflict and diamonds while ensuring that no harm is done to the legitimate diamond industry, which is economically important in many countries. The principal international effort to address these objectives, known as the Kimberley Process, aims to develop and implement an international diamond certification scheme that will deter conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate market. The nature of diamonds and the operations of the international diamond industry create opportunities for illicit trade, including trade in conflict diamonds. Diamonds are mined in remote areas around the world and are virtually untraceable back to their original source once mixed and polished. The United States cannot detect diamonds that might come from conflict sources because the current diamond import control system does not require certification of the country of extraction. At present, there is no international system to certify the source of extraction. The Kimberley Process proposal for an international diamond certification scheme does not contain the elements necessary to provide reasonable assurance that the scheme will be effective in deterring the flow of conflict diamonds. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-678/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-678.htm GAO-02-678 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-678 Other Written Product GAO-02-678; International Trade: Critical Issues Remain in Deterring Conflict Diamond Trade; Foreign governments International cooperation International organizations International relations International trade Precious stones Crime prevention Angola Democratic Republic of the Congo Kimberley Process Sierra Leone Liberia Title 50 Section 1622 50 U.S.C. 1622