Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic has been appointed to serve as Chair of the Kimberley Process for 2012. In addition to serving as US ambassador to Mali and Macedonia, she had held senior positions in US embassies in South Africa, Botswana and Belgium. Ambassador Milovanovic speaks fluent French and has extensive economic and business experience.

Ambassador Milovanovic and other members will attend the annual Mining Indaba during the week of February 6 in Cape Town to engage in broad consultations with Indaba participants, in coordination with Vice Chair.

As leaders of KP, the US aims to nurture a culture of consultation, collaboration and transparency in the KP as they tackle challenging issues. In the coming weeks, US embassies will visit the national focal point in each KP participant country to review priorities, provide a copy of the questionnaire from the committee on KPCS Review, and discuss working with all to organize KP round tables in all member countries, during February and March on strengthening and reforming the KP.