At the recent Intersessional meeting in Dubai (May 13-17), the UAE, currently chairing the Kimberley Process (KP), said that it is spearheading efforts to resolve political stalemates and drive concrete actions within the organization.
According to Rough & Polished, a step towards this objective was the establishment of a permanent secretariat for the KP in Botswana in April. The UAE’s agenda also includes successfully navigating the KP review and reform cycle and steering the organization towards long-term digitalization under its “Year of Delivery” program
Reflecting on the KP’s pivotal role over the past two decades, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, said: “Over the past 21 years, the Kimberley Process has fulfilled a vital role. It has stemmed the trade of conflict diamonds and reduced the incentives to smugglers. We must continue to focus on consensus and collaboration and ensure we strengthen and refine the functioning of the body under the Review and Reform cycle.”
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the UAE’s Chair of the Kimberley Process, noted the necessity for KP members to seek solutions that enhance transparency and accountability through the adoption of best practices and decisive actions.
