After two years of crisis, and then another year of renewed energy with the United States at its helm, the Kimberley Process this year was pretty unexciting. And that’s both good and bad.
The good news is that the organization stopped lurching from crisis to crisis, and has mostly rebuilt the good will that is essential to its continued operation. The bad is that in many ways this year failed to live up to its promise.
In 2011, the United States, trying to salvage something after agreeing to re-allow Marange exports, conceived the idea of a two-year reform agenda: In 2012, the United States would bring up a suite of reforms, and then South Africa would follow them through in 2013.
It’s safe to say, that hasn’t happened. There was a good deal accomplished at the most recent plenary — you can read the official communiqué here — but most of that was technical in nature. Alan Martin, research director of Partnership Africa Canada, considers himself disappointed.
Picture DDI
