Transcript Traceability of coloured gemstones to permit the Certification of

VIENNA INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE INSTITUTE
A non partisan justice think tank
Vienna, 24 September 2012
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WHY VIJI?
• The need for an international, non-governmental, independent and
objective institution
• Public / private partnership
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ASSETS OF VIJI
• Producing highly, non-partisan, detailed analysis and advice to
governments and institutions on specific drug, crime and corruption
issues
 Offering new strategic thinking and impartial policy prescriptions on some
of the world’s most intractable threats or refining prevailing wisdom
 Pressing for deep-rooted changes in policy and practices around the
world
 Acting on the ground as a catalyst for action through local expertise and
civil society settings
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ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION
General Assembly
Board of Trustees
Thematic expert “think tank”
Small Secretariat
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PROJECTS
1. TRACEABILITY OF COLOURED GEMSTONES TO PERMIT THE
CERTIFICATION OF ETHICAL ORIGINS
2. DRUG POLICY RESEARCH
3. STUDY ON CORRUPTION IN THE POLICE
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Traceability of coloured gemstones to permit the Certification of ethical origins
BACKGROUND
Two major areas of international concern:
1.The high value, anonymous character and the easy portability of coloured
gemstones naturally attract illegal activities including smuggling, money
laundering, corruption, and counterfeiting
2.The working and mining conditions as well as the environmental practices
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The value chain therefore needs a mechanism whereby 
• The purchaser of a stone can be reasonably assured that the stone comes
from a source that meets a minimum criteria with an appropriate level of
social and environmental ethics
• The governments of the countries where the stones are mined or
transformed can monitor the payment of corresponding revenues and
repatriation of export proceeds at the real transaction value
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OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
• Establishment and maintenance of a public-private multi – stakeholders
partnership under the aegis of UNICRI and VIJI to improve the
transparency, regulations, working conditions and sustainability of the
coloured gemstone and jewelry supply chain from mine to export
markets
• Duration: 4 years
• Budget: Euro 4.000.000
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DRUG POLICY RESEARCH
• In cooperation with several organizations and UNICRI, with whom a
Cooperation Agreement has been signed in July 2012, VIJI will undertake a
review of national drug control policies and strategies in seven countries
in order to ascertain whether these policies and strategies may be
deemed to be “evidence-based good practice” that can contribute to a
more informed and open debate on international drug control policy
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SELECTED COUNTRIES FOR THE STUDY
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Australia
Canada
Mexico
Portugal
• South Africa
• Sweden
• Thailand
=> Budget: Euro 140.000
=> Timeframe: 2012-2013
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STUDY ON CORRUPTION IN THE POLICE
• Based on recent cases of corruption of super cops in Europe, the study
aims to analyze the problems of the relationship between the police and
the criminals, why law enforcement officers move to the grey side, why
such cases of corruption occurred and how can this be prevented…..
• BUDGET => Euro 60.000
• Time frame => 1 year
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