African state seeks diamond gain

The Kimberley Process certifies more than $20bn in annual trade

The Republic of Congo is seeking to prove it does not deal in so-called conflict diamonds - gems sold to fund wars - to regain international trust.

The Central African country was removed from a list of nations recognised as legal diamond dealers last year after being widely accused of smuggling.

It could not explain the gap between its known production and total exports.

Now French researchers will certify its output, a step Congo hopes will help it to regain legitimate trading status.

International agreement

Scientists from the Office of Research Studies on Geological Resources are visiting the Congo Republic's rough diamond mines as it tries to rid itself of the damaging tag of being a supplier of 'blood diamonds'.

Congo Republic was expelled from the Kimberley Process - an international certification scheme set up to prevent the trade in conflict diamonds - thus preventing it from trading with other member states.

They will have to demonstrate they are giving the right facts and are able to control their borders Eli Izhakoff, World Diamond Council chairman

The scheme - whose 43 members are responsible for 99% of the global trade in rough diamonds - requires its members to identify the origin of its diamonds and guarantee that they are legally exported.

Congo could not satisfy the watchdog that its import-export controls were robust or justify a huge discrepancy in exports versus production.

Although its known production was only 50,000 carats a year, it was exporting three to five million carats.

'Smuggling hub'

The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic have long accused their smaller neighbour of helping to smuggle diamonds out of the two countries as well as Angola.

Human rights groups have accused Congo Republic of being a "hub" for the illegal diamond trade, the proceeds of which have been used to buy weapons and fuel long-running conflicts in central Africa.

THE KIMBERLEY PROCESS Established in 2002, it has 43 members including Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola It governs annual production worth $8.5bn and annual trade worth $20bn, 99% of the world's total output

Congo Republic initially proclaimed its innocence but subsequently froze its diamond exports and said it would act to stop illegal trading.

Before it can be considered for re-admittance to the Kimberley Process, the Congo Republic must provide verifiable details of its output and trade controls, something which the French visit appears designed to achieve

"The experts will begin their task as soon as they arrive," Jean-Marie Djama, an advisor to mines minister Pierre Oba, said after the government announced the researchers' visit.

Actions not words

Industry bodies remain sceptical about whether Congo will be given a clean bill of health, given its previous history of non-compliance.

"They will have to demonstrate they are giving the right facts and they are able to control their borders and diamond imports and exports," Eli Izhakoff, chairman of the World Diamond Council, told the BBC.

"There have been a lot of statements from the government but actions speak louder than words. They have to meet these requirements."

Human rights groups claim the Congo Republic has continued to export rough diamonds since its expulsion, despite claims to the contrary.

"Congo Republic has little or no diamond production of its own and acts as a conduit for illicit diamond smuggling," says Susie Sanders, from non-governmental campaigning group Global Witness.

"It is critical to have this survey but it is not going to exonerate the country from its past behaviour."