The Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America began creating a mechanism for the issuance of certificates for use by U.S. rough diamond exporters in compliance with the Kimberley Process Certification System.

The DMIA, along with U.S. agencies and major industry shipping companies involved in the export of rough diamonds from the United States, has formed the Rough Diamond Export Mechanism, Ltd. (RDEM), whose mission is to fulfill the American diamond industry’s commitment to the implementation of the Kimberley Process, an international certification system for rough diamonds.

“RDEM was designed to insure compliance with our Kimberley Process obligations with the intention of making compliance credible and practical,” said Leon Cohen, DMIA president. “DMIA has played an active role in the development of the Kimberley Process and in bringing industry support to its implementation.”

RDEM will be the issuing authority for the Kimberley Certificates for exports of rough diamonds from the United States. RDEM will enter into licensing agreements with major freight forwarders who presently service the diamond industry. The licensees will then be authorized to issue Kimberley Certificates directly to their customers upon receipt of properly completed application forms. RDEM will require that Certificates be issued consistent with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration procedures and will have validating numbers from the Automated Export System of the U.S. Census Bureau.

RDEM will serve as the point of first contact for any duly authorized inquiry as to the functioning of Kimberley Process procedures relative to rough diamond exports from United States. It will also serve as an assurance to all stakeholders that the system is fully functional and transparent.

“The creation of RDEM represents the product of an ongoing effort by the entire diamond industry to fulfill a moral obligation to end the trade in conflict diamonds and is consistent with the U.S. Government’s commitment to the implementation of Kimberley,” said Cecilia Gardner, executive director and general counsel of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, who provided legal assistance to DMIA.

JCK