Zim to host diamond traders conference

Conrad Mwanawashe Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE will this week host the world’s leading diamond manufacturers, and traders at the Zimbabwe Diamond Conference. The conference is being organised by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.

It will highlight the steps taken by the country to improve the diamond sector since its admission as a member of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme in 2011.

The theme for the conference is: “Completing Zimbabwe’s diamond potential for the future”.

President Mugabe will be the Guest of Honour. Some of the speakers at the conference include the Minister of Mines and Mining Development Walter Chidhakwa, his permanent secretary Professor Francis Gudyanga and Engineer Bernardo Campos, Vice Chair KPCS Republic of Angola.

African mines ministers who will address the conference include South Africa’s Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi, Isak Katali Minister of Mines and Energy of Namibia and Martin Kabwelulu Labilo, Minister of Mining Democratic Republic of Congo. South Africa, DRC and Namibia are leading producers of diamond with SA being strong in value addition and beneficiation.

Value addition and beneficiation is a key cluster under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation.

World diamond leaders to grace the conference include Mbada Diamonds chairman Dr Robert Mhlanga, Mr Carlos Sumbula, president and chief executive officer of Endiama and Mr Andrey Polyakov, vice president of Alrosa.

Endiama is the national diamond company of Angola and it is the exclusive concessionary of mining rights in the domain of diamonds. Angola’s state-run diamond company Endiama produced 8,55 million carats of diamonds in 2010.

Alrosa is a Russian diamond mining giant while Mbada Diamonds is Zimbabwe’s leading diamonds producer.

Leading global diamond traders will be represented by HE. Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority and Mr Ernie Blom, president of World Federation of Diamond Bourses, among many others, will also address the conference.