Deputy Speaker, the ANC wishes to acknowledge the 10- year anniversary of the Kimberley Process Certification, Scheme, which was started when the Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley in May 2003. They met to discuss ways to stop the trade in conflict diamonds and to ensure that diamond purchases were not financing violence by rebel movements and their allies seeking to undermine legitimate governments.
In November 2002, negotiations between governments, the international diamond industry and civil society organisations resulted in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which sets out the requirements for controlling rough diamond production and trade. The Kimberley Process is open to all countries that are willing and able to implement its requirements and is chaired on a rotating basis.
Thus far South Africa, Canada, Russia, Botswana, the European Union, India, Namibia, Israel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the United States of America have chaired the Kimberley Process. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was first chaired by South Africa in 2003, and South Africa is once again the chair in 2013. I thank you. [Applause.]