Artisanal Diamond Mining: Perspectives and Challenges

The success of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) has been built on providing assurances that the trade in diamonds amongst signatory countries is based on diamonds traded legitimately, untainted by conflict and corruption. For this success to be durable there is a need to complement the commitment to policing the trade with concerted action to address the root causes of the problem of ‘conflict’ or ‘blood’ diamonds – the developmental needs of artisanal miners, diggers and their communities, who often live in abject poverty and are frequently vulnerable to exploitation.

Effective development for artisanal diamond mining communities must be based on a thorough understanding of the inherent complexities that characterize the sector. The research reported in this volume, coordinated by the Egmont Institute and undertaken in support of the KPCS Working Group on Alluvial/Artisanal Producers (currently chaired by Angola), involves many of the leading thinkers in this field. It makes a significant contribution to our knowledge of the sector, laying the foundations for a concerted development program.

This work makes a significant contribution to our progress towards the vision of artisanal alluvial diamond mining communities that are conflict and exploitation free, where social dysfunction and environmental degradation are better managed, where miners and diggers’ rights are protected and they get a fair return for their labors, where frequent practices such as hazardous child labor are outlawed and where the revenues from the exploitation of diamonds are reinvested in more sustainable pursuits. This vision sees the whole sector, not just the top of the pyramid of diamond production, contributing to sustainable economic growth and development, poverty reduction and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.