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Why was the Republic of the Congo expelled from the Kimberley Process in 2004?

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Diamonds-for-weapons trade in Africa — Blood diamond Map illustrating the diamonds-for-weapons trade that took place in Africa near the end of the 20th century.

The Republic of the Congo was expelled from the Kimberley Process in 2004 because its diamond exports significantly exceeded its domestic production. This discrepancy strongly suggested that the country was importing diamonds smuggled from neighboring conflict zones, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo.1

The Kimberley Process is a certification scheme established in 2003 to prevent the trade of "blood diamonds"—rough diamonds used to finance civil wars—and to safeguard the legitimate diamond market. Participating countries must meet minimum requirements to ensure their rough diamonds are conflict-free, including issuing official certificates of origin for each shipment. Countries that fail to comply can be removed from the process and face trade boycotts. The Republic of the Congo was readmitted in 2007 after demonstrating renewed control over its diamond trade.1