British multinational Gemfields Ltd, back into the World Jewelery Confederation
English mining company Gemfields Ltd was recently reinstated by the World Jewelry Confederation (CIBJO) in the top circle of companies that explore gems in Mozambique in a responsible, ethical manner, without violating human rights.
MRM is 75% owned by the British multinational Gemfields Ltd, while the main member of the Frelimo party and retired general of the Mozambican Army, Raimundo Pachinuapa, holds the remaining 25%. Partnerships with the heads of the ruling party, Frelimo, are the rule, not the exception, in the conflict-ridden province of Cabo Delgado.
Gemfield was suspended from the organization during the trial process at the London court in the UK’s £5.8 million claim over alleged human rights abuses at the ruby mine in Mozambique; Co. where the mining company denied responsibility due to the fact that in April 2018, more than 200 Mozambicans filed a complaint in the United Kingdom against Gemfields, a gemstone company based in London, for human rights abuses at the Montepuez Ruby Mining Limitada mine, in northern Mozambique.
Denying responsibility for the allegations, however, on 29 January 2019, Gemfields announced that it would pay £5.8 million to resolve the complaint and that it would establish an operational complaints mechanism. This payment has not been made to all the victims until today October 2023
Gemfields were the main sponsors to his CIBJO event in Jaipur Oct 3-5, aproximatly same time of their reinstatement back into CIBJO 2023, and coincidently they were made members earlier this year
For the CIBJO organization of Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, where he is president and who directly reinstated” the mining company that he claims to be responsible for and that “develops and supports responsible sourcing and sustainable initiatives and programs that address threats to the integrity of precious stones, metals precious and finished jewelry” at this point, it is not known for sure what criteria guided the reintegration of the mining company.
CIBJO, one of the organizations that monitors the good conduct of gem mining companies around the world, is raising funds to hold its next general meeting.
The organization that is also associated with the United Nations, according to its website “The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) covers the entire jewelry, gemstone and precious metals sectors – vertically, from mine to marketplace, and horizontally within each of the component parts in the various production, manufacturing and trading centers. Its members are not individuals, but rather representative associations or commercial bodies. They include national and international trade organizations from more than 45 countries around the world and many of the international jewelry sector’s leading corporations and service providers.
The Confederation is also the only organization in the international diamond, gemstone and jewelry sectors to have received official consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. This enables it to advance programs and goals of the UN within the industry, serving as a technical expert, adviser and consultant to governments and the UN Secretariat. It additionally is a member of the UN Global Compact and is committed to the fullfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
In this reintegration, contrary to what is generally usual, the sending of a press release via advertising which is the company’s usual mood, little or almost nothing was disclosed about the return.
https://www.zammagazine.com/investigations/1679-mozambique-southern-africa-s-mining-scars-part-3
(Moz24h)
