1.   Botswana and Namibia have joined South Africa in offering to set up a technical process for certifying diamonds, based on standards already established by various nations.

2.   In March, it announced plans to certify all diamonds sold to its sightholders as nonconflict stones.

3.   This week, the government of Sierra Leone won approval from the UN Security Council to start certifying diamonds from government mines.

4.   With United Nations backing, Angola and Sierra Leone have instituted national programs to certify diamonds from government-held mines that can be exported legally.

5.   With U.N. backing, Angola and Sierra Leone have instituted national programs to certify diamonds from government-held mines which are now legally exported.