By Zvamaida Murwira
THE Kimberly Process Certification Scheme has finally granted Mbada and Marange Resources the nod to unconditionally sell their diamonds after they fully complied with its requirements.

Other diamond firms at Chiadzwa, however, would have to sell their gems with the supervision of KP monitors.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu said this last night from the Democratic Republic of Congo where he was attending the KP intercession meeting, which ended yesterday.

The development is a kick in the face for the United States and other Western countries that sought to have the sale of Zimbabwe's diamonds banned on the pretext that they were "bloody" diamonds.
"We have made a breakthrough. The KP Intercessional meeting has endorsed exports of production from compliant mining operations of Marange and Mbada with immediate effect without supervision," said Minister Mpofu.

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"Exports may take place from other mining operations in the Marange diamond fields following KP monitoring verification of compliance."
The KP Monitoring team, said Minister Mpofu, would verify compliance of exports from other companies.

Firms mining at Chiadzwa include Anjin Investments, Sino-Zimbabwe diamonds and DMC.
All these firms have partnered with the Zimbabwe Mini-ng Development Corporation.

"The KP Monitoring team will verify compliance of exports from other such producing mines excluding Marange and Mbada but including full access to and verification of post-shipment mine level data on an ongoing basis," he said.

The ongoing verification would continue until the end of this year's plenary, said Minister Mpofu.
"The plenary also endorsed the nomination of a KP monitoring team consisting of Abbey Chikane and Max Van Bokfaal (a top KPCS geologist).

"In case of lack of agreement between the members and the KP Monitoring team, the chair of KP will resolve the matter," said Minister Mpofu.
"We have committed ourselves as Zimbabwe to uphold KP minimum requirements."

During the meeting, Minister Mpofu accused the US of trying to use the KPCS, to settle its political differences with Harare.
The Minister called for reform of the KPCS to save the body from politicisation by the US and the European Union.

Zimbabwe had vowed to sell its gems with or without KP certification arguing that it had fully complied with the minimum requirements much more than other countries.
The West wanted Zimbabwe banned from selling its gems as part of efforts to perpetuate illegal sanctions imposed against Harare over land reforms.