Sierra Leone parties still mining diamonds illegally, Security Council says

After reviewing its ban on Sierra Leone diamonds imposed last year, the Security Council today warned that it was ready to extend the embargo after noting that both rebel and government-backed forces were still illegally mining the precious stones.

In a press statement released by the Council's current President, Ambassador Moctar Ouane of Mali, Council members stressed that by continuing to illicitly extract diamonds, the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the Civil Defence Force (CDF) were gaining access to funds that might be used to buy weapons.

Council members also emphasized the importance of resolution 1306, adopted on 5 July 2000, in the efforts to build peace in Sierra Leone and the region.

"They welcomed the continued efforts among West African countries, with the support of ECOWAS, to develop a region-wide certification regime and the establishment of the Government of Sierra Leone Certificate of Origin regime in curbing the flow of illicit diamonds out of Sierra Leone," Ambassador Ouane said.