Policies & IssuesApr 28, 2026
Tariff Refunds: How to File, What to Expect Importers can submit claims now to receive money back for the IEEPA tariffs they’ve paid, with refunds expected to take up to 90 days.
SourcingOct 25, 2016
KP Civil Society Coalition Standing by Boycott
The Kimberley Process’ Civil Society Coalition will not be attending the upcoming plenary meeting, despite the United Arab Emirates’ recent overtures and media reports to the contrary.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates--The Kimberley Process’ Civil Society Coalition will not be attending the upcoming plenary meeting, despite the United Arab Emirates’ recent overtures and media reports to the contrary.
The KP’s Civil Society Coalition, which is made up of 11 organizations, announced in November 2015 that it wouldn’t be attending any KP meetings held in Dubai this year to underscore its objections to the UAE’s election as chair, effectively boycotting the process for 2016.
Chief among the coalition’s concerns about a UAE chairmanship were the number of companies there that allegedly engage in transfer pricing. Transfer pricing is the practice of undervaluing a resource, such as diamonds from Africa, in order to increase profitability and decrease tax liability.
It is a practice, the CSC has said, that robs local governments of the true value of their resources.
On Oct. 13, Ahmed Bin Sulayem, who represents the UAE in the KP, sent a letter and a 31-page proposal inviting the coalition to attend the plenary and outlining what the UAE has done over the past nine months to allay the coalition’s concerns.
In regards to transfer pricing specifically, the letter states that the UAE has initiated a series of workshops on developing a system for rough diamond valuation that could be applied in all diamond-importing centers.
Addressing another one of the coalition’s concerns--that the UAE is too lax in letting diamonds from conflict-ridden areas of the world, like the Central African Republic, cross its borders--the letter pointed out that four areas of the Central African Republic have been deemed KP compliant and allowed to resume rough diamond exports since it took over as KP chair.
The letter also noted that the issues of establishing a permanent secretariat for the KP under the mandate of the United Nations and lab-grown diamonds would be discussed at the plenary.
Despite the UAE’s invitation, the coalition said it is sticking by its boycott, with the latest media kerfuffle certainly not helping to change its collective mind.
On Sunday, an article appeared in The National, a government-owned English-language newspaper published in the UAE, stating that the National Support Centre for Development and Popular Participation, which is better known by its French acronym, CENADEP, had become the first member of the coalition to “break ranks” with the boycott and opt to attend the plenary.
The article quoted CENADEP’s Albert Kabuya Muyeba as saying that the organization, “accepts the invitation of the KP
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
chair (to) the plenary in November 2016 and believes that the best way to lend credibility to the KP is by re-enlisting within the KP family to address different challenges inside, and not outside.”
On Monday, CENADEP Executive Director Danny Singoma issued a clarification on the article, which it said it was “stunned to discover.”
“While some progress has been made under the United Arab Emirates’ chairmanship, CENADEP still stands with the Civil Society Coalition and supports the boycott launched in November 2015.
“If one of our CENADEP officers has indeed responded to a letter sent by the chairman of the Kimberley Process and confirmed that they would attend the plenary session in Dubai, they have done so on personal terms. Their response does not commit our organization in any way.”
When asked about Singoma’s letter, a spokesperson for the KP chair said, “This is a matter for the parties involved.”
The spokesperson added that the UAE remains committed to improving the working conditions and the social environment related to the diamond industry, and that the invitation for the coalition to attend the plenary stands.
This is not the first time the United Arab Emirates has been tied to an inaccurate report that has appeared in The National.
Back in March, before the KP had green-lit any exports from the Central African Republic, The National published a story stating that diamond exports from all of the Central African Republic would resume soon.
JCK’s Rob Bates pointed out the inaccuracy of the article--which, like the recent article on CENADEP, was widely re-reported without verification--in a post on his Cutting Remarks blog.
The KP plenary is scheduled to take place in Dubai from Sunday, Nov. 13 to Thursday, Nov. 17.
On Monday, CENADEP Executive Director Danny Singoma issued a clarification on the article, which it said it was “stunned to discover.”
“While some progress has been made under the United Arab Emirates’ chairmanship, CENADEP still stands with the Civil Society Coalition and supports the boycott launched in November 2015.
“If one of our CENADEP officers has indeed responded to a letter sent by the chairman of the Kimberley Process and confirmed that they would attend the plenary session in Dubai, they have done so on personal terms. Their response does not commit our organization in any way.”
When asked about Singoma’s letter, a spokesperson for the KP chair said, “This is a matter for the parties involved.”
The spokesperson added that the UAE remains committed to improving the working conditions and the social environment related to the diamond industry, and that the invitation for the coalition to attend the plenary stands.
This is not the first time the United Arab Emirates has been tied to an inaccurate report that has appeared in The National.
Back in March, before the KP had green-lit any exports from the Central African Republic, The National published a story stating that diamond exports from all of the Central African Republic would resume soon.
JCK’s Rob Bates pointed out the inaccuracy of the article--which, like the recent article on CENADEP, was widely re-reported without verification--in a post on his Cutting Remarks blog.
The KP plenary is scheduled to take place in Dubai from Sunday, Nov. 13 to Thursday, Nov. 17.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
IndependentsApr 28, 2026
This North Carolina Jeweler Is Passing the TorchThe owners of Gregory Jewelers in Morganton, North Carolina, are heading into retirement.
AuctionsApr 27, 2026
12 Years Later, the ‘Ocean Dream’ Diamond Resurfaces at Christie’sThe largest known fancy vivid blue-green diamond could fetch more than $12 million at its second auction appearance.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
ColumnistsApr 27, 2026
Stop Treating Mother’s Day Like an AfterthoughtEmmanuel Raheb says jewelers need to start marketing early and make it easy for customers to pick a gift for mom.
Weekly QuizApr 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsApr 27, 2026
Longnecker Jewelry Celebrates 30 YearsIn honor of the milestone, the Nebraska jeweler has debuted Leslie & Co., its new in-house jewelry brand.
MajorsApr 27, 2026
JBT Re-Elects Jeff Corey as Board ChairThe trade organization, which held its annual elections earlier this year, also added five new board members.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
AuctionsApr 22, 2026
Roberta Flack’s Jewelry Is Going Up for AuctionJulien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.
CollectionsApr 22, 2026
British Museum Curator Pens Book on ‘The Tudor Heart’Rachel King’s book dives into the history of the pendant believed to have belonged to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
Events & AwardsApr 22, 2026
Here’s What Sy Kessler Has on Tap for Las Vegas The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.
WatchesApr 21, 2026
Coco Chanel Enters the Game with New Watch CollectionGabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.
IndependentsApr 21, 2026
Meet Jewelers of America’s 2026 ‘20 Under 40’ ClassThe annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.
CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYCSeized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
CrimeApr 20, 2026
Queens Man Convicted in Bludgeoning Death of Pawn Shop OwnerRodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.
TrendsApr 20, 2026
Beth Bernstein, Sonia Esther Soltani Pen New Jewelry Book“Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems” highlights the relationships among 22 influential designers, brands, and gem dealers.
Events & AwardsApr 20, 2026
Atlanta Jewelry Show’s Spring Event Is Hitting the RoadThe AJS Spring 2027 show will be held in Savannah, Georgia, with future shows taking place in other Southeast cities.
