17 practice in the government response. ZMDC has been under a European Union embargo since January 2009. 70 7.3 The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe is also a parastatal under the jurisdiction of the ministry. It acts as the sole marketing and selling agent for all minerals except gold and silver. It investigates marketing conditions, encourages local beneficiation from the production of minerals and advises the Minister on all matters connected with the marketing of mineral. MMCZ issues all Zimbabwean KP certificates. 71 8 JOINT VENTURES THROUGH THE ZMDC In July 2009, a Kimberley Process Review Mission visited Marange and concluded there were ‘credible indications of significant non-compliance’ with the minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). “Among their chief concerns was the evidence of government involvement in human rights abuses, smuggling and lax controls that compromised the entire chain of production.” 72 The same month, the Ministry of Mines accepted expressions of interest from companies willing to enter into joint ventures agreements to mine in Marange under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation. 73 “While the move was initially billed by Mines Minister Obert Mpofu as evidence of Zimbabwe’s efforts to fix concerns raised by the KP Review Mission, the real motivation [was that] the ZMDC lacked the hard currency needed to go it alone. Unsuccessful attempts to finance operations between 2006 and 2008 had already forced the ZMDC to divert US$12 million in revenues earned from its gold mines to Marange.” 74 70 Partnership Africa Canada, ‘Zimbabwe, Diamonds and the Wrong Side of History’, March 2009, pg 4: http://www.pacweb.org/Documents/diamonds_KP/18_Zimbabwe-Diamonds_March09-Eng.pdf 71 Partnership Africa Canada, ‘Zimbabwe, Diamonds and the Wrong Side of History’, March 2009, pg 4: http://www.pacweb.org/Documents/diamonds_KP/18_Zimbabwe-Diamonds_March09-Eng.pdf 72 The Zimbabwean, ‘Marange: Latest victim of the diamond curse’, 23 June, 2010: http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/news/32077/marange-latest-victim-of-the-diamond-curse.html 73 Partnership Africa Canada, ‘Diamonds and Clubs’, June 2010, pg 5: http://www.pacweb.org/Documents/diamonds_KP/Zimbabwe-Diamonds_and_clubs-eng-June2010.pdf 74 Partnership Africa Canada, ‘Diamonds and Clubs’, June 2010, pg 5: http://www.pacweb.org/Documents/diamonds_KP/Zimbabwe-Diamonds_and_clubs-eng-June2010.pdf