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Security Council members hail Sierra Leone's new diamond certification regime
15 September -- United Nations Security Council members today welcomed the recent gem certification scheme developed by the Government of Sierra Leone. The regime had been requested by the Council in its resolution 1306 of 29 June in which it demanded that all countries prohibit imports of Sierra Leone diamonds.

Speaking to the press at UN Headquarters in New York, Moctar Ouane, the Council's President for the month of September, said that Council members "commended" the Government of Sierra Leone for developing a diamond certification regime and hoped that - with further information from Sierra Leone authorities on the implementation of the new scheme - diamonds would soon start to be exported under this framework.

The President's statement came after informal consultations of the Security Council during which members heard a briefing by Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury of Bangladesh, the Chairman of the Sanctions Committee on Sierra Leone, on the implementation of the diamond ban.

According to Ambassador Ouane, Council members commended Secretary-General Kofi Annan for appointing a panel of experts to look into the links between the trade of diamonds and the fuelling of conflicts, and urged all countries to collaborate with this group.

Council members also reminded States of their responsibility to report to the Sanctions Committee on their implementation of the diamond import ban at the national level, requesting them to submit their reports as soon as possible.