In the early 2000s, growing international concern over the trade in conflict diamonds led to the establishment of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). This joint initiative between governments, the diamond industry, and civil society organizations aimed to create a global certification system to prevent the entry of conflict diamonds into the legitimate diamond trade.The KPCS implemented a set of requirements for participating countries to control the production and trade of rough diamonds. Under the scheme, each shipment of rough diamonds must be accompanied by a government-validated certificate that guarantees the diamonds are conflict-free. Participating countries are responsible for implementing internal controls to prevent the introduction of conflict diamonds into the supply chain.To join the KPCS, countries must meet minimum requirements, such as establishing national legislation, export and import controls, and transparent practices. Participants are also subject to regular monitoring and compliance reviews to ensure the scheme's effectiveness.The KPCS has been lauded for its ambitious scope and the level of international cooperation it has fostered. By creating a unified system of controls and certification, it has made it more difficult for conflict diamonds to enter the mainstream diamond trade. However, the scheme has also faced criticism for its shortcomings and lack of enforcement mechanisms.