Paulo Mvika is a Mining Engineer, a graduated from the University of Friendship with the Peoples of Moscow, Russia, in 1990; he has a Post Graduate Diploma in Economic Evaluation of Mining Projects from the National Higher School of Mines in Paris, France, in 1992.
During his professional career, he held several positions of responsibility in the mining industry at the Ministry of Geology and Mines and at the National Diamond Company of Angola as National Director of the Study, Planning and Statistics Office (1997-2003), National Director of Mines ( 2003-2009), Coordinator of the Mining Concession Negotiations Office, Executive Director of Endiama EP (2010-2017) and Executive Coordinator of the National Kimberley Process Commission (from 2014 to present).
Paulo was also a Professor of Economics and Mining Legislation in the fifth year of the Geology courses at the Faculty of Science and Mines at the Faculty of Engineering of the Antonio Agostino Neto University. He is a regular Angolan participant in the Kimberley Process meetings from 2000 to the present, was a Chair of the Working Group on Artisanal Alluvial Production (2007-2017).
Here, in an exclusive interview with Rough&Polished, Paulo Mvika speaks in detail about Angola’s KP Commission’s activities and future steps.
For our readers’ benefit, please tell us about the Angola Kimberly process Commission… its activities from inception until date.
The National Commission of the Kimberley Process is a technical and administrative entity, supervised by the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, and is governed by the Decree 56/03, of 26 August, which establishes the rules for the implementation of the International Certification Scheme in Angola and is responsible for managing technical and administrative processes for traceability of diamond, internal controls and granting the Kimberley Process certification of rough diamonds.
After active participation in the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification System, between 2000 and 2002, and considering the model of the inviolable diamond certificate of origin on which the National Commission of the Kimberley Process was inspired, in 2003 Angola became a signatory member of the International Certification Scheme.
From 2003 to the present, under the coordination of the National Commission of the Kimberley Process, Angola assumed the following responsibilities under the KP:
• President, between 2007 and 2017, Angola chaired the Working Group on Artisanal and Alluvial Diamond Production Countries;
• In 2012, Angola presented and approved the Washington Declaration on artisanal and small-scale mining.
• From 2014 to 2015, the country took the vice-presidency of the KPSC and the presidency, respectively, and chaired the Committee for the Presidency and Participation of the Kimberley Process, in 2016;
• 2018 Assumed vice-chair of the Review and Reform Committee and a year later, in 2019, assumed the chairmanship of the Kimberley Process Review and Reform Committee.
In its mission, the National Kimberley Process Commission continues to raise awareness of the compliance by national Players of the diamond industry to comply with the minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. Through the strengthening of internal controls for rough diamonds thereby, the KP Commission is promoting internationally accepted good practices in the diamond industry.
The intention is to maintain consumers´ confidence, in the increasingly demanding manufacturing industry, and of competition from synthetic diamond producers “increasingly aggressive in the marketing”, while at the same time consolidating Angola´s diamonds image in the markets.
The commission also undertakes to continue to encourage the transition from the Diamond Age of Conflict to the Diamond Age of Prosperity and Sustainable Development for the well-being of the national economy and populations.
In all the KP Plenaries to date the agenda discussed was on general issues reflecting on the development of the global diamond industry, but the main issues remained without finding concrete solutions. Your views?
The agendas of the Plenary Meetings were always dominated to reach consensus among the participants, within the framework of the terms of the agreement signed on January 1, 2003, in Interlaken-Switzerland, which marked the entry into force of the Kimberley Process Certification System, following United Nations General Assembly Resolution 55/56, which has allowed the Kimberley Process to remain effective and credible as a United Nations instrument for the maintenance of peace.
During the last few years, several initiatives have culminated in the adoption of Administrative Decisions that have been applauded by both participants and observers on the issues they consider general on the development of the global diamond industry.
However, Observers in the Kimberley Process, namely Civil Society Coalition, as a consensus has not yet been reached on the issue of broadening the definition of the concept “Conflict diamonds” consider that the Kimberley Process has not focused on the essentials. From my point of view, an instrument like the KP is not static; it is dynamic and always seeks to improve over time, as we can see in the advances registered in the discussions during the last cycles of Reform and Revision of the KP.
Do you think the digitalization of KP Certificates accompanying every export-import operation with rough diamonds will be followed by the global industry? Any workable ideas from you?
Among the various initiatives under discussion at the KP, one of them introduced in the Russian Federation's mandate is the digitization of KP Certificates; a working subgroup was set up at the last Plenary in Moscow to continue discussions on the experiences of some countries trying to reach a bilateral agreement, taking into account the reliability of the process in terms of computer security and assistance to certain ASM diamond producing countries with limitations in information technology.
We need to continue to mature the initiative, give the opportunity in bilateral agreements where this initiative can already be considered viable and safe, leaving a period of training and adaptation for those who consider themselves unfit now.
Will an ‘electronic exchange’ for the whole KP Family within the framework of common supranational legislation and harmonization of internal regulatory mechanisms be effective? What’s your opinion on this idea?
The digital revolution has not reached the same development´s level in all diamond-producing countries in Africa concerning consuming countries and countries where the main diamond exchanges are located, supranational legislation and the harmonization of internal regulatory mechanisms may not have the desired effects even among producers, the challenges are different if we consider the view of countries on large-scale mining concerning Artisanal and Small-scale mining producers.
Do you think changing the KP documents to facilitate digitalization flexibly for all countries will be successful globally? Should ‘responsible diamond sourcing’ be recommended as the best practice for the industry? Your suggestions?
I think there is already progress or even to say that there is already a consensus on the KP's Core Documents within the framework of the Reform and Review Process that took place in the period 2017-2019, we have to keep up with the new tools that technology brings us to move from the way physical KPC to digital in addition to being quick and effective for reconciliation between trading partners, reducing errors and waste in issuing them and time of analyzing their authenticity, it also reduces the capacity for tampering and falsification of KPCs that have, in recent years, been registered in some countries participating in the KP, which we can consider as a good practice to be accepted globally.
For the second part of the question, some advances recorded in the KP both with the Moscow 2005 and Washington 2012 Declarations on ASM and now with the “Responsible Diamond Sourcing, Moscow 2021” that Angola has expressed its support for, are undoubtedly good practices for industry and a prelude that it is still possible to achieve significant advances on the definition of conflict diamonds during the Botswana and Zimbabwe mandates, as well as create a mechanism to promote the Principles for Responsible Diamond Sourcing” in the Diamond Industry as globally accepted good practices.
Will the KP Certification Scheme (KPCS) be effective in the long run? Also, ‘Conflict Diamonds’ is still not clearly defined yet. For the benefit of our readers, please give your opinion in detail.
I believe that I have already touched on this topic in the previous answers, however, I can say that diamond being a luxury and profitable business in which many players are involved, in the long term natural diamond will continue to be a preference of consumers, taking into account some of their concerns in terms of traceability, responsible sourcing as well as broadening the definition of conflict diamonds, which is only an emotional issue and market opinion makers.
Due to the disconnect between perception and reality, there is a need to change the narrative around the diamond industry. People need to know about the good that diamonds do and that miners, manufacturers and jewellers are contributing to uplift the less fortunate in communities, the jobs and wealth they provide.
Will the proposed KP review mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2022 bring relief and allow the export of rough natural diamonds from the country? Your thoughts?
As stated in the final communiqué of the Moscow 2021 plenary, it will be important to bring together volunteer participants to be part of the review mission team to verify on the spot the information obtained from various sources, despite the reticence of some participants about the safety concern, the recommendations to be presented by the review mission could clarify the KP's position in responding to CAR's requests to expand new green zones, already under the control of the authorities, which could help CAR increase its exports and prevent fraud and smuggling of diamonds from these areas.
The synthetic gem industry is currently attracting more attention from entrepreneurs, which is a concern for the natural stones sector. Where do you think this will lead both the sectors, going forward?
Natural diamond has a high unit value because of its characteristics “the 4Cs” and rarity, while synthetic diamond can be manufactured in a short period with the same properties without, however, the feeling of pride and prestige attributed to the jewellery made from natural diamond.
If you compare it with gold and fancy jewellery, it has the same shine and the difference lies in the price and affection, in the same way, the jewellery made of a synthetic diamond can be bought at a low price and let you lose without feeling. Synthetic diamonds, easily produced in “uncontrolled quantity”, lose their rarity with the risk of becoming a common stone and with the depreciation of its value.
The two sectors may well coexist in healthy competition, leaving the choice to consumers.
As you are associated with the Angolan Kimberley Process Commission, our readers would like to know your insights into the global diamond industry’s future in general; and in Angola in particular… which is linked to the livelihood of countless peoples’ lives. Your comments.
The future of the diamond industry is promising, despite the difficult years caused by the impact of Covid-19 and its new variants on the lives of populations and the global economy; in the diamond pipeline, various actors, manufacturers and suppliers of equipment and machinery, transport, washing, service providers, specialists in various fields, diamond sellers and buyers, cutters, and jewellery manufacturers, etc. creating jobs, community development and wealth.
About geological reserves in diamonds, despite the exhaustion of some large mines known around the world, Africa still has considerable potential for the discovery of primary deposits, the case of Angola with mines in production and development such as Catoca, Luaxe, Sangaminas, Chiri, will sufficiently contribute to the supply of diamonds in the global market.
The actors involved in this diamond business are fully aware of the challenges facing them to perpetuate this millenary industry from a geological, technological, market, investment and business perspective
Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished
