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Published 26th May 2000

Vol 41 No 11


Congo-Kinshasa

Glittering prizes from the war

A new mining consortium in partnership with Congo and Zimbabwe is to be launched on the London Stock Exchange

A new consortium to mine diamonds in war-torn Congo-Kinshasa, Oryx Diamonds, is to be launched on the London Stock Exchange on 13 June, in partnership with the governments of Congo-K and Zimbabwe. The launch will be a major test of market sentiment towards the British government's attempts to get buyers to shun 'blood diamonds' - stones mined in countries in conflict such as Angola, Congo and Sierra Leone. On 22 May, Britain's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Peter Hain, called for a consumer boycott of diamonds coming from war zones. London will be pushing the Group of Eight industrialised countries meeting in Tokyo in July to back an international scheme to outlaw 'blood' or 'conflict' diamonds. However, many diamond buyers in London and Antwerp say the campaign against conflict diamonds won't stop them buying rough diamonds from any source they choose. The proposed directors of Oryx Diamonds say they have no involvement with conflict diamonds and dispute that their diamond concessions in Congo are in a war zone.


Force majeure

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Ethiopia simplifies the military situation but complicates the political game

Ethiopia's war aims have expanded exponentially as its soldiers have advanced. Though still formally committed to no more than forcing Eritrea out of the remaining areas it occupie...


Linking in the Luo

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President Daniel arap Moi and his team are jubilant. They have effectively derailed the broad-based constitutional review (AC Vol 41 Nos 2 & 6) which Moi was forced to accept a...


Cleaning up

Donors concentrate on restructuring the army; locals worry more about corruption

President Ange-Félix Patassé's attempts to convince donors they ought to help him are getting a more positive reception. After Prime Minister Anicet Georges Dologu&ea...



Pointers

Duty free

This day has been a long time coming, but it is here.' So declared US President Bill Clinton on 18 May, before signing the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This is meant t...


In and out

Sudan's project to make its presence felt at the United Nations continues, despite UN sanctions against it. After winning a vice-presidency of the UN Human Rights Commission in Mar...


Mission leap

Britain's military and diplomatic mission in Sierra Leone is leaping rather than creeping. Among members of parliament from the ruling Labour Party side (and their Liberal Democrat...