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For over a decade, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been at the center of international efforts to curb the trade in conflict diamonds. In 2013, the Kimberley Process (KP) — a global initiative operating a certification scheme to stop rebels from financing their operations through diamond revenues — imposed a rough diamond export embargo following a violent coup and widespread reports of rebel financing through diamond mining and trade. While the embargo was partially eased between 2015 and 2019, further progress stalled amid rising geopolitical tensions, particularly following the arrival of Wagner Group mercenaries in CAR and growing concerns over Russia’s expanding influence in the country’s security and mining sectors. Most mining zones remained under embargo until November 2024, when the KP - rather abruptly - lifted the remaining restrictions, citing improved conditions.
Based on interviews with Central African miners, traders, state officials, civil society representatives, and international experts, this new IPIS report assesses the impact of the KP embargo on artisanal mining, conflict financing, and smuggling dynamics. It also examines the motivations behind the decision to lift the embargo and considers its likely consequences for CAR and the broader diamond governance landscape.
Key findings show that the embargo - though intended to prevent conflict financing - often harmed artisanal miners more than armed groups. Starting in 2016, falling diamond prices and worsening economic conditions prompted an increasing number of artisanal miners to shift to gold mining, which was easier to self-finance, not subject to sanctions, and increasingly became a significant source of conflict financing. The embargo also fueled diamond smuggling and drew in a range of illicit networks. It failed to address deeper structural issues such as corruption, insecurity, and the unrealistic expectations placed on overseeing a highly complex and fragmented domestic and international supply chain.
The decision to lift the embargo - driven largely by political pressure - was taken without a clear strategy to address these persistent challenges, risking further setbacks to efforts toward a diamond sector that supports inclusive development and long-term stability. It also raises serious questions about the credibility and future relevance of the KP itself.
As CAR’s diamond sector reopens, the report calls for sustained commitment from government, industry, and civil society at national, regional, and international levels. Key priorities include stronger oversight, meaningful support for artisanal miners, enhanced cross-border cooperation, and renewed dedication to transparency, due diligence, and accountability. Without such efforts, the same patterns of exploitation and conflict risk repeating themselves, regardless of whether an embargo is in place.