Botswana Diamonds
Congo (Kinshasa) (06/05)
Agriculture is the mainstay of the Congolese economy, accounting for 56.3% of GDP in 2002. The main cash crops include coffee, palm oil, rubber, cotton, sugar, tea, and cocoa. Food crops include cassava, plantains, maize, groundnuts, and rice. Industry, especially the mining sector, is underdeveloped relative to its potential in the D.R.C. In 2002, industry accounted for only 18.8% of GDP, with only 3.9% attributed to manufacturing. Services reached 24.9% of GDP. The Congo was the world's fourth-largest producer of industrial diamonds during the 1980s, and diamonds continue to dominate exports, accounting for over half of exports ($642 million) in 2003. The Congo's main copper and cobalt interests are dominated by Gecamines, the state-owned mining giant. Gecamines production has been severely affected by corruption, civil unrest, world market trends, and failure to reinvest. ... [Read More]
US Dept of State
HTTP/1.0 200 OKConnection: closeDate: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 03:02:58 GMTAccept-Ranges: bytesETag: "1b8ab94-9200-4236ea25"Server: ApacheContent-Length: 37376Content-Type: application/mswordLast-Modified: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 13:59:01 GMTClient-Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 02:52:48 GMTClient-Peer: 208.254.57.189:80Client-Response-Num: 1╨╧рб▒с > ■ 1 D F ■ C ье┴ 7 1 Ё┐ D9 bjbjUU 1 "F 7| 7| D5 l ю ю ... [Read More]
Communique: Second SADC-U.S. Forum, Maputo, Mozambique
On Angola, the Forum agreed that the rebel forces under the command of Jonas Savimbi continue to constitute the principal obstacle to peace. It expressed strong support for the recent UN Security Council resolution on enforcement of UN sanctions against UNITA and agreed on the need for strengthening mechanisms for the enforcement of sanctions. The Forum called upon the UN to speedily take follow-up actions emanating from the Fowler Report. The Forum pledged to do more to strengthen policing of trafficking in illicit diamonds, noting the importance of making a clear distinction between legitimately produced diamonds and illicit diamonds. ... [Read More]
Namibia (07/05)
Mining (6.8% of GDP, 2003): Gem-quality diamonds, zinc, copper, other. ... Trade: Exports (2002)--$1.3 billion: diamonds, copper, lead, uranium, beef, cattle, fish, karakul pelts. Imports (2002)--$1.7 billion: foodstuffs, construction material, manufactured goods. Major partners--South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Germany, U.K., U.S. ... Over 80% of Namibia's imports originate in South Africa, and many Namibian exports are destined for the South African market or transit that country. Outside of South Africa, the EU (primarily the U.K.) is the chief market for Namibian exports. Namibia's exports consist mainly of diamonds and other minerals, fish products, beef and meat products, grapes and light manufactures. Under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), apparel exports are rapidly growing. ... [Read More]
Department of State Washington File: Text: U.S. Lists Countries Eligible Under Clean Diamond Act
Section 6(b) of the Act requires the President to publish in the Federal Register a list of all Participants, and all Importing and Exporting Authorities of Participants. Section 2 of Executive Order 13312 of July 29, 2003 delegates this function to the Secretary of State. Section 3(7) of the Act defines ``Participant'' as a state, customs territory, or regional economic integration authority identified by the Secretary of State. Section 3(3) of the Act defines "Exporting Authority" as one or more entities designated by a Participant from whose territory a shipment of rough diamonds is being exported as having the authority to validate a Kimberley Process Certificate. Section 3(4) of the Act defines "Importing Authority" as one or more entities designated by a Participant into whose territory a shipment of rough diamonds is imported as having the authority to enforce the laws and regulations of the Participant regarding imports, including the verification of the Kimberley Process Certi ... [Read More]
Arms and Conflict in Africa
With the exception of the more conventional Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict (1998-2000), efforts to end AfricaТs conflicts have yielded no lasting successes. One obstacle is war-profiteering by soldiers and guerrillas. The arms market continues to offer many opportunities to those who possess assets other than hard currency to finance weapons purchases. Diamonds, other gemstones, and minerals enable cash poor governments and insurgents the ability to acquire arms. In DROC, for example, soldiers from Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe enrich themselves by plundering natural resources such as diamonds, columbite-tantalite (coltan), and ivory. Insurgent groups such as the Congolese Liberation Front (FLC) and the Mai Mai engage in similar practices. In West Africa, the sale of conflict diamonds smuggled out of Sierra Leone has fuelled the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) insurgency and enriched the guerrillasТ regional patrons. Diamond smuggling and arms trafficking funded by oil revenues yield subs ... [Read More]
Lesotho (06/05)
Lesotho's economy is based on water and electricity sold to South Africa, manufacturing, earnings from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), agriculture, livestock, and to some extent earnings of laborers employed in South Africa. Lesotho also exports diamonds, wool, and mohair. Lesotho is geographically surrounded by South Africa and economically integrated with it as well. The majority of households subsist on farming or migrant labor, primarily miners in South Africa for 3 to 9 months. The western lowlands form the main agricultural zone. Almost 50% of the population earns some income through crop cultivation or animal husbandry, with over half the country's income coming from the agricultural sector. ... [Read More]
Department of State Washington File: Text: White House Fact Sheet on Illicit Diamonds and Conflicts
In Okinawa, the G-8 expressed special concern that the proceeds from the illicit trade in diamonds have contributed to aggravating armed conflict and humanitarian crises, particularly in Africa. The G-8 therefore called for an international conference to consider practical approaches to breaking the link between the illicit trade in diamonds and armed conflict, including consideration of an international agreement on certification for rough diamonds. ... The U.S. and the U.K. have led the work of the group of experts to recommend a series of steps on illicit diamonds endorsed by the G-8 Foreign Ministers at Miyazaki on June 13 and called for the issue of conflict diamonds to be included on the agenda for the G-8 meeting in Okinawa as part of an initiative on conflict prevention. ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
BotswanaТs economic success has been striking, thanks mainly to diamonds and over three decades of sound economic management. The country at independence in 1966 was one of the poorest in the world, with a per capita income of roughly $80 in 1966. Today, Botswana is a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of about $3,486 in 2000. The governmentТs immediate and consistent embrace of free markets, its prudent fiscal management, and, of course, diamonds, have helped BotswanaТs economy maintain one of the highest growth rates in the world over the last three decades Ч averaging 9.2 percent annually from 1966Ц97, ranking it No. 1 for that period over Korea (7.3 percent) and China (6.7 percent). The countryТs more recent growth figures have remained impressive. ... [Read More]
Botswana (07/05)
Since the early 1980s, the country has been the world's largest producer of gem quality diamonds. Four large diamond mines have opened since independence. DeBeers prospectors discovered diamonds in northern Botswana in the late 1960s. The first mine began production at Orapa in 1972, followed by the smaller mines of Lethlakane and Damtshaa. What has become the single-richest diamond mine in the world opened in Jwaneng in 1982. The Orapa 2000 Expansion of the existing Orapa mine was opened in 2000. In December 2004, Debswana negotiated 25-year lease renewals for all four of its mines with the Government of Botswana. The Debswana carat output for 2004 was a record 31 million carats making Debswana the worldТs leading diamond producer by value and volume. Exploration for other kimberlite pipes continues. In addition, as part of its drive to diversify and increase local value added within the mining sector, Botswana has announced plans to establish a joint venture company with De Beers, wh ... [Read More]
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