While De Beers neither mines nor purchases diamonds from Liberia, the company has provided its services and expertise to the country as it rebuilds its diamond industry infrastructure.  Diamonds are set to be a key driver of Liberia’s economic growth.

This is both the right thing to do and it also makes good business sense as it enhances the legitimate and robust nature of the global diamond value chain.

On 7 March 2001, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1343 (2001) imposing a ban on Liberian exports and imports of diamonds as the country was being used as a conduit by the rebel RUF group in Sierra Leone. This action barred Liberia from becoming a member of the Kimberley Process.

Since the ending of conflict in Liberia and Sierra Leone, De Beers has played an active role in assisting Liberia to achieve membership of the Kimberley Process.

De Beers has worked closely with the Government of Liberia since 2004 to build the capacity of the Government Diamond Office (GDO) to value and sort diamonds for the purposes of revenue collection and the issuing of Kimberley Process certificates.

As part of such efforts, three Liberian officials attended training courses at the De Beers Diamond Academy in Kimberley, South Africa.

In addition, De Beers has (in a 50/50 partnership with the Dubai Diamond Exchange) equipped Liberia’s GDO with scales, computers and other technical equipment.

De Beers is also an active participant in the UN Development Programme’s “Diamonds 4 Development” initiative, working closely with the NGO International Alert and the Ministry of Land, Mines and Energy on the redevelopment of the Liberian diamond industry.

As a result of these and other factors, on 27 April 2007, the UN Security Council lifted its diamond embargo on Liberia and on 4 May 2007, the European Community, as chair of the Kimberley Process in 2007, admitted Liberia as a participant in the process.