A recent assessment report by Green Advocates International (GAI) has revealed that Liberia is failing to meet the Kimberley Certification Scheme’s (KPCS) standards due to the deplorable condition of regional diamond regulatory offices.
This report underscores a severe threat to the integrity of Liberia’s diamond trade with deplorable conditions of diamond regulatory offices threatening compliance
The assessment, conducted by the rights-based non-profit organization across nine Government Regional Diamond Offices (RDOs) in Liberia, spanned late 2023 to early 2024. Its primary focus was on evaluating the effectiveness of these offices, which are crucial for preliminary diamond valuation and recording.
The Kimberley Process is an international trade regime established in 2003 to eliminate the trade in conflict diamonds—rough diamonds used by rebel groups to finance conflicts. Following a 14-year civil war and a subsequent ban by the UN Security Council, Liberia joined the Kimberley Process in September 2007, committing to use its diamond resources for peaceful development.
To ensure compliance, Liberia established nine RDOs in major diamond-producing regions: Bahn, Ganta, and Gbarpa in Nimba County; Tubmanburg in Bomi County; Camp Alpha and Weasua in Gbarpolu County; Lofa Bridge and Kavilahun in Gbarpolu County; and Kakata in Margibi County. These offices were equipped for the preliminary valuation and recording of diamonds, aiming to prevent illicit trade and promote responsible mining.
The assessment by GAI paints a grim picture. The RDOs are now in a state of disrepair, undermining the Kimberley Process in Liberia. Factors contributing to the closure of these offices include inadequate funding, lack of operational capacity, unpaid rent, and a shortage of staff due to retirements and abandonment of posts.
With the regional offices non-functional, diamond mining in Liberia has become largely self-regulated. Local miners either travel to Monrovia for registration, contact regional officers willing to assist from their homes, engage with diamond brokers, or smuggle diamonds out of the country through porous borders. This lack of regulation has facilitated the illicit diamond trade, severely compromising the Kimberley Process’s requirement for a transparent diamond supply chain.
The assessment indicates that the government’s inability to regulate and secure diamond mining operations is harming legitimate businesses. Licensed miners face stiff competition from illicit operators, leading to frustration and calls for government action.
“Diamond mining in Liberia is now a challenge, unlike before,” lamented a licensed miner from Bahn, Nimba County. “We are no longer able to show our diamonds because there is no government supervision. Any illicit diamond miner with a large and valuable diamond can sell it before anyone knows.”
Local miners are urging the Liberian government to reopen the RDOs and address the issues that led to their closure. They believe that operational diamond offices in mining regions would help prevent diamonds from falling into the wrong hands. Additionally, there is a call for the establishment of a diamond buying house at these offices to ensure miners have a reliable and transparent outlet for selling their diamonds.
A miner from Garpa, Nimba County, emphasized the importance of local diamond offices: “We used to just run to the local diamond office here to record and examine our diamonds, but for the past few years, we have been taking our diamonds to Monrovia. Reopening the local offices will help stop people from mining without licenses. We also want the government to set up a special department to buy diamonds from miners.”
The report also highlights the impact on former regional officers. One retired officer from a major mining district recounted how the Ministry of Mines and Energy had retired them in 2020, only to later ask them to return to work. “We told them that we cannot be retired and continue to work. Since then, this office has been empty, and there are no government officials to oversee mining activities in this area.”
The report concludes that to attract and retain investments in the diamond sector, Liberia must uphold the Kimberley Process’s integrity by implementing effective internal controls on diamond production and trade.
Failure to do so could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s diamond industry and its international reputation.
The closure of the RDOs severely hampers the traceability and enforcement of rough diamonds. Under the Kimberley Process, exporters must provide conclusive evidence that diamonds were mined in Liberia. Without improved internal controls, it is difficult to ensure that only legally produced and traded diamonds enter the legitimate global market.
Liberia stands at a crossroads. To restore confidence and integrity in its diamond industry, the government must take immediate and decisive action to rehabilitate the regional diamond offices and re-establish stringent oversight mechanisms.
Only then can Liberia fulfill its commitment to the Kimberley Process and secure a prosperous future for its diamond sector.
By: Jeremiah S. Cooper, Contributor
