Russia debate turns KP’s Gaborone meeting into an all-nighter

By early morning this past Saturday, the scores of Kimberley Process delegates still holed up at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) would have been in disbelief at how impossible it can become to agree on a few lines of text.

Russia’s invasion in February of fellow Kimberley Process member, Ukraine, has divided the global anti-conflict diamonds organisation. The United States and its allies have repeatedly pushed for censure against Russia at the Kimberley Process, which would effectively place a global blacklist on Moscow. In response, Russia and those in its corner have accused their opponents of bringing non-Kimberley Process issues into the Kimberley Process and using every available platform to “politic”.