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CAR appeals to Mugabe over KPCS registration

by Staff reporter
25 Jun 2015 at 16:09hrs | Views
The Central African Republic (CAR) says it will engage the African Union chair to seek solutions following strong objections to its Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) registration bid by civil society at the ongoing intercessional meeting in Luanda, Angola.

The CAR's permanent secretary for KPCS Ange Kazungui says his nation is considering engaging the AU chairperson President Robert Mugabe to assist them in the face of mounting opposition by civil society which says diamond revenue can be used to finance civil conflict in that country.

Kazungui maintains that civil society is pushing a western agenda and wants to avoid greater African participation in formulating decisions that inform diamond trade.

Civil society has also expressed objections to the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) bid to assume vice chairmanship of the KPCS and has thrown its weight behind Australia.

The final communiqué and position will be communicated this Friday and both CAR and UAE will know of their fates then.

Source - zbc