Using Nigeria’s oil curse lessons to avoid a diamond curse in Zimbabwe

Nigeria is in turmoil as the country’s citizens react in outrage at the government’s lifting of an oil subsidy that kept petroleum products priced low. Almost all articles about the crisis mention how many Nigerians consider that the subsidy is one of the few ways they benefit from their country’s vast oil wealth. Are there lessons from this for Zimbabwe as it quickly becomes a global diamond powerhouse?

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A post-mortem of the pullout of Global Witness from the Kimberley Process

The NGO Global Witness has pulled out from its association with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for the global diamonds industry. It says it has lost confidence in the KP’s ability and willingness to stop abuses of various kinds in various diamond mining countries. Quitting the KP might be a matter of frustrated principle for Global Witness, but that arguably gives it less influence to fight the abuses the organization claims to be so passionate about.

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Perhaps Zimbabwe’s real problem is of dysfunctional values needing change, not just bad politics

by Chido Makunike

It is understandable that many Zimbabweans look to the political arena for the big answers to the many problems that plague their country. Many hope a pivotal election in the next year or so will be clean and decisive enough to set a clear direction and provide certainty for the country in a way it seems to lack now. Could this reposing of trust in the political process be misplaced?

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Does Kimberly Process certification of Zimbabwe's Marange diamonds end the controversy?

After much controversy and contention, the Kimberly Process diamond certification scheme has lifted its sanctions on the sale of stones from the Marange diamond fields. This will have a significant effect on Zimbabwe’s battered economy, but the overall controversy over Marange is unlikely to end soon.

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As Zimbabwe divides Kimberley Process, a contrarian view of the diamond certification scheme

Last week's Kinshasa meeting of the Kimberley Process diamond certification scheme ended with the  official announcement of Zimbabwe now being free to market its diamonds from Marange 'legally.' Predictably not all the KP's members agreed with the decision, so the controversy will continue. But as some question the existence and relevance of the KP in the wake of its divided stance over Zimbabwe, others interrogate the very basis of having such a diamond certification scheme at all.

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Global stampede for Zimbabwe's diamonds; exports controversy rages

by Chido Makunike

The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme has yet another meeting this week, in DRCongo capital Kinshasa, to try to get consensus amongst its members about the the issue of the export of Zimbabwe's controversial Marange diamonds. Within and outside the Kimberly Process , there is an amazing amount of global jostling over Zimbabwe's hot new resource.

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