The KP Chair, Ahmed Bin Sulayem has put forward a proposal for a “fair, independent funding” of the NGOs which are part of the KPCS.
In a letter to the members of the Civil Society Coalition (CSC) on October 25, 2016, the KP Chair said that he would lead the creation of a Fund so that NGOs could “participate on equal terms” in Review Visits, Missions and Intersessional and Plenary Meetings as Observers.
“While NGOs have been at the forefront in the successful combat against blood diamonds, trade bodies – who have significant resources – typically do not contribute to the NGOs’ participation in review visits, missions or KP meetings,” said Bin Sulayem. “Our position is that this is not fair, nor an effective way of harnessing Civil Society’s unique perspective and potential. If Industry participates in a Kimberley Process activity, our proposal stipulates that it should also pay for a member of Civil Society to participate. And this should be equally distributed, discussed and decided amongst all individual members of Civil Society.”
The KP Chair expects a decision on his proposal in the Final Communique at the upcoming KP Plenary being held in Dubai from November 13-17, 2016. And if accepted, the proposal will be adopted by UNGA by the end of the year.
The statement proposed in the communique reads: “Civil Society and Industry are two equal partners and Observers in the Kimberley Process. To support this equality and independence, and to give Civil Society a greater share in the KP decision process from 17 November 2016 onwards, each member of the diamond industry participating in a Review Visit/Mission or Meeting of the KP Intersession and Plenary will contribute matching funds for the participation of a member of Civil Society. The distributing Fund will be organised in a way to guarantee full independence of Civil Society, in the decision as to who exactly will participate in the respective Review Visit, Mission, Intersessional Meeting or Plenary, and will preclude any undue control by Industry or any individual member of Civil Society.”
– News Source : gjepc.org
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