24-1-2018
Hilde Hardemanwill takes charge of the Kimberley Process (KP) on behalf of the European Union (EU) in 2018, the European Commission (EC) has confirmed. The new chairperson is the head of the EC’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), which manages aspects of the European Union’s diplomacy.
Earlier this month, the EU said it had commenced its role as KP chair under the leadership of Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Now, The EU’s most senior diplomat, Hardeman will serve as chairperson instead and FPI will fall under the authority of Mogherini.
The EU said, “Our focus will be on further strengthening the implementation and effectiveness of the Process and on ensuring sustainable livelihoods for producing communities. A series of events will be organised in Antwerp in June and in Brussels in November.”
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was first implemented in 2003.The chairmanship of the KP switches every year. It works closely with 54 participants to keep conflict diamonds - ‘rough diamonds used to finance wars against governments’ - out of the industry’s global supply chain.
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