Thank you, Mr. President.
Let me begin by expressing our gratitude to the United States of America for its Chairmanship of the Kimberley Process in 2012. In particular, I would like to thank Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic for skillfully manning the helm of this process over the past year.
I would also like to extend Israel’s welcome to South Africa, the incoming Chair. We look forward to engaging closely with you during the coming year.
Mr. President,
Few objects carry as much universal symbolism as diamonds. From the Star of Sierra Leone to the Crown Jewels of England, these gems have captivated mankind for their beauty, rarity, and durability since antiquity.
Diamonds have driven some of the world's most powerful machinery, and decorated some of the world's most powerful political figures. They can symbolize love and devotion, wealth and prosperity, or authority and power.
And, as we have seen over the past two decades, diamonds can also be used to fund terrorism, war, and ethnic conflict.
Nine years ago, the international community came together to form the Kimberley Process. The process was designed to ensure that the diamonds in jewelry store display cases around the world were not being mined by warlords in conflict zones.
Together, we have made great strides in confronting this danger. Our collective efforts started, as they say, like “a diamond in the rough”. They have blossomed into the polished and effective process that we speak of today.
Twenty years ago, conflict diamonds accounted for 15 percent of the global market – today, they are less than one percent of the market. We can say proudly that the Kimberley Process was instrumental in achieving these very impressive results.
Mr. President,
Israel has been deeply involved in the Kimberley Process since its inception.
In 2003, we issued the first-ever certificate for a conflict-free diamond. Two years ago, we served as the Kimberley Process Chair.
Last year, we chaired the participation committee, overseeing the membership process for four new countries.
Israel sees this work as an expression of our most fundamental values. Business ethics are a cornerstone of Judaism. Tradition tells us that the first question Jews are asked in the afterlife is if we conducted our personal and business affairs with candor and honesty. The message is clear: we must guard our values throughout our lives as if they were the most precious gems, so that we can enjoy a sparkling and shiny afterlife.
Israel is committed to making sure that each and every diamond is certified as “conflict-free” throughout its entire lifecycle – from the mine to the display case.
Mr. President,
As a proud co-sponsor of this resolution, we endorse the Assembly's decision to introduce more regular review visits, broader expert participation, and more stringent requirements for reporting. We also support the decision to integrate artisanal and small-scale diamond mining into the certification scheme.
Yet, we still have much work to do. We must continue to improve implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. The Civil Society Coalition must be fully involved in the Kimberley Process, particularly in monitoring implementation, country by country. The Kimberley Process must also enhance collaboration with diamond industry association, international organizations, and enforcement agencies. All of these stakeholders benefit from exchanging information.
Mr. President,
Israel looks forward to working hand-in-hand with the international community to move the Kimberley Process forward. This process is too important to fail. Our commitment to this cause must be as unbreakable as the diamonds we seek to certify.
We must be vigilant. We must ensure that the process is being implemented rigorously and fairly. And we cannot rest until every diamond in the global diamond trade can be properly certified as "conflict-free."
Thank you, Mr. President.