Liberian Govt. Announces Ban on Diamond Import

The Liberian government has announced a ban on all uncertified rough diamonds import in a bid to avoid the planned embargo by the United Nations, according to reports reaching here on Monday from the country's capital Monrovia.

"The ban is in furtherance of efforts by the government of the Republic of Liberia to establish an internationally acceptable certificate of origin regime," the government was cited as saying in a statement on Monday.

The Liberian government, which was charged of illicit diamond trade with Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front rebels, took the action before the United Nations' sanctions are due to come into force until May.

The UN Security Council has demanded the government to prove it has prohibited its alleged trade in the so-called "bloody diamonds" or face sanctions on its own diamond sales and travel by officials.

Earlier this month, the Liberian Mines Ministry said the government has imposed a ban on the exportation of diamonds for a period of 120 days with immediate effect.

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