Kimberley process

In 2002, the World’s Governments concluded their agreement on how to control the flow of rough diamonds through a certification scheme known as the Kimberley Process.  From 1 January 2003, all shipments of rough diamonds have been documented, tracked by customs services and imports and exports reconciled between governments.  The aim is to halt the trade in illicit diamonds which has funded rebel armies and arms supplies in parts of Africa. 

Although the percentage of such diamonds is small, the world’s jewellery industry is determined to stamp them out to preserve the diamond as a symbol of love, rather than a  symbol of suffering. 
Government action is supported by a system of industry self regulation through which the international jewellery trade from retailer to manufacturer to importer/gem dealer will warrant that cut and polished diamonds and those already set in diamond jewellery have been sourced from reliable traders not linked to “conflict sources”.

The requirements of the KPCS ( Kimberly Process Certification Scheme ) are as follows

Each shipment of rough diamonds crossing an international border must be:

Transported in a tamper-resistant container;  Accompanied by a government-validated Kimberley Process Certificate;

Each certificate must be resistant to forgery, uniquely numbered and describe the shipment's contents;

The shipment can only be exported to another KPCS participant country;
It is illegal for uncertified shipments of rough diamonds to either be imported or exported by a KPCS participant country;

Failure to comply with these procedures can lead to confiscation or rejection of parcels and/or criminal sanctions; and
If any concerns arise regarding a country's adherence to the KPCS, they must be investigated and dealt with at an intergovernmental level.