Dubai, UAE; 5 May, 2012: The UAE's Kimberley Process office, under the jurisdictional authority of the Ministry of Economy and regulated by the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), recently hosted a private, high-level workshop with the Dubai Police Airport Security and Dubai Customs. The main topic of discussion was a plan to establish additional security measures at the Dubai International Airport around the import and export procedures for rough diamonds.
Maryam Al Hashemi, UAE's Kimberley Process - Director, said:
"We are constantly reviewing our security measures in accordance with international best practice and the federal authority. Passengers at Dubai Airport are expected to increase to 90 million and growth in the number of Kimberley Process Certificates issued is expected to increase by 33% in 2012. With this growth in mind, we held a multi-stakeholder working group including, Dubai Police and Dubai Customs, to discuss various initiatives to boost security by checking and apprehending passengers, prior to boarding, on suspicion of carrying non-KP approved rough diamonds."
These initiatives build upon the security framework originally deployed when the KP Certificate Scheme (KPCS) was implemented in the UAE in 2003, in compliance with local laws. KPCS is the process designed to certify the origin of rough diamonds. The certification scheme aims to prevent blood diamonds from entering into the legitimate rough diamond market. The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority is the only entry and exit point for rough diamonds in the country. It is imperative for the growth and sustainability of the industry that the KPCS is enforced with the latest security measures to prevent the smuggling of illegitimate rough diamonds.
Brigadier Pilot Ahmad bin Thani, Director General of the Department of Airport Security in Dubai Police comments:
"We want to ensure best efforts are made to reduce the risk of illegal diamonds entering or exiting, while not inhibiting the legal trade. We are considering various options and have also put into practice several initiatives to meet attempted smugglings. Finding the balance is not an easy task, but we are working diligently to lead that effort. We want to make the UAE one of the most secure countries in the world."
Also present at the workshop were Mr. Ali Fayel, Director of Certificate of Origin at the Ministry of Economy; and Mr. Ali Al Mugahwi, Director of Airport Operations in Dubai Customs.
Mr. Ali Fayel added:
"The Ministry of Economy complements the broader aim of the UAE Government Strategy. To ensure continued growth and prosperity of the diamond trade in the UAE all the stakeholders must be committed to implementing the Kimberley Process, only then can the UAE become the global hub for diamonds."
-Ends-
For media enquiries:
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Sanra Vetter Sloan
sandra.sloan@dmcc.ae
+971 (4) 364 4261
Maryam Al Hashemi
UAE Kimberley Process - Director
kimberley.process@dmcc.ae
Brunswick Group
Jade Mamarbachi
+971 (4) 446 6274
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority
The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority (DMCC) is the free zone authority for the Jumeirah Lakes
Towers. The DMCC, established in 2002, is a strategic initiative of the Government of Dubai with a mandate to provide the physical, market and financial infrastructure required to set up a commodities market place in Dubai. The Centre attracts key players throughout the entire value chain of a wide range of commodities sectors, together with relevant support industries such as finance, logistics and insurance.
DMCC has established a robust infrastructure, including free zone status, trade networking platforms, secure vaults and purpose-built storage facilities. Resident companies of DMCC are offered highly attractive benefits under a free zone status, including a 50-year guaranteed tax holiday, 100 per cent business ownership, full ownership of business premises and a secure regulated environment. DMCC has also implemented a dedicated compliance policy in the organisation, which is in line with the compliance related laws and regulations of the UAE Federal Government and the competent international bodies.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is a joint government, industry and civil society initiative that aim to stem the flow of conflict diamonds into the legitimate diamond trade. Set up to assure consumers that the diamonds they are purchasing are conflict free, the KPCS was implemented in the UAE in 2003 by the Ministry of Economy, making the UAE the first Arab country to introduce this process, and the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority the only entry and exit point for rough diamonds in the country.
The UAE Federal Law that adapts and implements the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is the "Union Law no.13 Regarding Supervision of Import/Export and Transit of Rough Diamonds." Trading in rough diamonds with non-Kimberley Process members is a violation of the rules and regulations of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. In order to enhance the mandate of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme "preventing conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate market" you are requested to report to the UAE Kimberley Process Office any instances of smuggled or illegitimate rough diamonds.
© Press Release 2012
