The strengthening of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme stood atop the agenda of the delegation of the World Diamond Council, which joined representatives of governments from more than 50 countries and civil society NGOs at the four-day Kimberley Process Plenary Meeting, which concluded in Guangzhou, China, on November 14.

WDC President Edward Asscher headed the delegation of 12 diamond and jewelry industry representatives from around the world attending the 2014 KP Plenary Meeting.

Highlighted at the meeting was the Administration Support Mechanism (ASM), which is managed and financed on behalf of the Kimberley Process by WDC member organizations. Launched in 2013 and renewed for a second year of operation at the KP Intercessional Meeting in Beijing earlier this year, the ASM provides valuable assistance to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. Following a proposal by the WDC, it will from now on provide educational and training tools for all KP participants.

A critical component of the KP Plenary were the meetings of the official working groups, which were attended by WDC delegates in Guangzhou, including the Working Group on Monitoring, the Working Group of Diamond Experts, the Working Group on Statistics, the Working Group on Artisanal and Alluvial Production, the Committee on Participation and Chairmanship, and the Committee on Rules and Procedures.

At the initiative of the WDC, the KP Plenary welcomed a proposal by several working groups to consider relevant recommendations from a Financial Action Task Force Report that relate to risks associated with the supply of rough diamonds. It was agreed that the Working Group on Monitoring and the Working Group of Diamond Experts would assess those recommendations in the context of their ongoing efforts to improve the KPCS and its implementation.

The WDC supported the reaffirmation of the Working Group on Monitoring of its commitment to continue the dialogue on the definition of conflict diamonds, in accordance with the decision taken at the Kimberley Process Plenary Meeting in Johannesburg in November 2013.

The WDC applauded a decision by the Working Group of Diamond Experts, which at the initiative of World Diamond Council created a sub-committee that will address valuations of rough diamonds throughout the supply chain. Also discussed at the meeting of the Working Group of Diamond Experts was a survey of how KP member countries handle confiscated rough diamonds; the KP "roadmap" for the Central African Republic, which is designed to enable that country to become KP compliant; and the creation of a digital photo database, among other items.

Although the required consensus was not achieved in Guangzhou on which of the two candidate countries, Australia or the United Arab Emirates, would become Vice Chair of the Kimberley Process in 2015, the WDC pledged openly to support any consensus decision that is made in this respect, and offered its support to the incoming KP Chair, Angola.

"On behalf of the WDC and the entire industry, I'd like to congratulate H.E. Wei Chuangzhong and the People's Republic of China on this year's successful chairing of the KP" stated Mr. Asscher. "We look forward to continuing to strengthen the mission of the KP under the strong leadership of Angola in 2015."

The World Diamond Council also stressed the importance of reinforcing the three pillars that support the Kimberley Process, namely government, civil society and the diamond and jewelry industry.