Panama admitted to Kimberley diamond scheme

The Panamanian government announced that it has been unanimously admitted to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, a program meant to keep conflict diamonds off the world market.

The request for admission was presented by Panamanian Trade and Industries Minister Ricardo Quijano in Washington, scene of last week's plenary meeting of the KPCS.

The Kimberley Process was implemented in 2003 on the initiative of African producing nations, importers, exporters, civil society and industry to avoid the discrediting of the legitimate international trade in rough-cut diamonds by dissuading the introduction of stones extracted to finance violent conflicts.

Source: Efe