Inauguration of KPCS Plenary

Inauguration of KPCS Plenary

The Plenary meeting of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is being hosted by India which is the present Kimberley Process (KP) Chair will be held from 18th to 22nd November 2019 in New Delhi.

Key Points:

• This meeting was inaugurated by the Commerce Secretary, Dr Anup Wadhawan. India is a founding member of KP, has been actively involved in the development of KP as an important protocol in the trade of diamonds which has ensured that 99.8% of the diamonds in the world are conflict-free. 
• We need to keep KP efficient and effective as a process to maintain this conflict diamond free status. India is committed to making this process stronger in terms of further strengthened administration and implementation, efficient in terms of delivery of what it promises, more transparent and empathetic towards the living standards of people who are dependent on the production, trade and manufacture of diamonds.
• India has given leadership to address the issue of differentiation between Natural Diamonds and Lab Grown Diamonds. It will take further initiatives to have better differentiation and ensure responsible business on this front.
• India currently exports around USD 24 billion cut and polished diamonds. It is expected that India will reach an export target of USD 1 trillion in the coming years, and the gem and jewellery sector.
• The importance of this KPCS is immense to India as more than one million people are directly employed by the diamond industry. The industry plays an important role in sustaining livelihoods of these people.
• Three special forums regarding Financial inclusion and women empowerment through sustainable livelihood creation, Diamond origin and identification, Diamond industry - Adapting to change, were also held during the Plenary meeting.

Facts:

• India is one of the founder members of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and is the Chair of the Kimberley Process for the year 2019. India had earlier chaired KPCS in 2008. Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, B.B. Swain, has been designated as KP Chair 2019 and Ms Rupa Dutta, Economic Adviser, Department of Commerce has been designated as India’s KP Focal Point.
• The closing session of the KPCS will be held on 22nd November 2019 in New Delhi and India will hand over the KP Chair to the Russian Federation.