Global Affairs Canada today issued the following statement:
"Canada participated in the 22nd Kimberley Process Plenary, held from November 17 to 21, 2025, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Canada thanks the United Arab Emirates for hosting.
"This year marked the completion of a three‑year review and reform cycle, which included efforts aimed at revising the definition of conflict diamonds. The Plenary also featured a ministerial meeting hosted by the United Arab Emirates to address this issue. As a founding member of the Kimberley Process, Canada remains committed to the forum's mandate of breaking the link between diamonds and conflict-a principle Canada has upheld since its inception in 2003.
"Canada regrets that, for the fourth year in a row, Russia blocked participants from discussing the role that the sale of its rough diamonds plays, in part, in funding its unjustifiable and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. Canada continues to support Ukraine's call for the Kimberley Process to address how Russian diamonds are fueling its illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"While members made progress toward the expansion of a revised definition of conflict diamonds, consensus was not reached on which state actors should be included in the definition. Canada and its partners continue to advocate for a modernized definition that enables the Kimberley Process to fulfill its core mandate: eliminating the use of rough diamonds to finance armed conflict and safeguarding the integrity of the diamond trade. This includes addressing situations where state actors use diamond revenues to fund conflicts, as seen in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
"For the Kimberley Process to remain a credible and effective mechanism for preventing conflict, the definition of conflict diamonds must evolve, and meaningful reforms are urgently needed. A modernized definition should reflect the reality of state-driven conflict and meet the rising ethical expectations of consumers worldwide. Canada stands firm in championing a definition that represents substantive progress-not only to protect the reputation of the diamond sector but also to ensure that diamond-producing communities continue to benefit from responsible and sustainable trade.
"The Kimberley Process's greatest strength lies in its ability to verify the origin of rough diamonds-a function that is increasingly important as global demand for transparency and traceability grows. Certification of country of origin remains the essential first step toward full traceability and consumer confidence.
"Canada, a leading rough diamond-producing country, remains committed to working with Kimberley Process partners to advance these goals."
