In a historic milestone for the diamond industry, fully traceable, artisanal diamonds from the Democratic Republic of Congo have been sold on the international market for the very first time in Antwerp.
The 103.77‑carat parcel, originating from the Kasai region, is part of the OrigemA project – a Belgian‑Congolese initiative that provides artisanal miners with access to international markets, guarantees fair prices, and supports the livelihoods of more than 3 million people. Launched in 2022 by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) in collaboration with the Congolese Ministry of Mines, NGO Resolve and technology partner Everledger, with financial support from the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, the project breaks with the traditional model under which artisanal miners could only sell to one of two officially recognised buyers.
Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot described the first sale as "an important milestone" for the project.
Below, Ine Tassignon, AWDC spokesperson, provides further details on the project and its impact.
What is the OrigemA project, and what is its primary objective?
OrigemA is a Belgian‑Congolese initiative that provides artisanal miners with access to international markets, guarantees fair prices, and supports the livelihoods of more than 3 million people. Through OrigemA, we primarily wanted to address the challenges faced by artisanal miners in the DRC. Their diamonds generally do not have access to international markets, which means that many cooperatives do not receive the fair price they deserve for their production.
Where do the diamonds from the first sale originate, and which cooperative is involved?
The first parcel of diamonds originates from the Kamana Ndeke mine in Batshamba village, Tshikapa, from the mining cooperative COMIDIANZ. The volume of the first sale is 103.77 carats of natural diamonds, with an estimated value of $6,000.
How does the OrigemA project ensure that artisanal miners receive fair prices for their diamonds?
Through a public tender organised by Bonas‑Couzyn in Antwerp, the diamonds now gain access to the international market, allowing the participating cooperative to obtain fair and competitive market prices for its diamonds for the first time. Fewer intermediaries also result in higher revenues for the COMIDIANZ cooperative in Kasai.
How does the traceability system work under OrigemA?
Using easy‑to‑operate scanning devices, every diamond is digitally documented immediately after extraction. Each subsequent step in the value chain is then recorded digitally as well, from the mine site in the Congolese Kasai region all the way to the sale in Antwerp. To make this possible, we installed Wi‑Fi antennas at remote mining sites that until recently had no connectivity whatsoever. As a result, the cooperatives were able to use a traceability system for the first time and are making history today: they are the first artisanal mining sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo to supply fully traced diamonds to the international market."
What training and support does the OrigemA project provide to artisanal miners?
We have trained a total of 450 miners in sustainable and safe mining practices, as well as in less technical topics such as conflict management and how to run a cooperative as a small business. In one of the cooperatives, we installed a small dredging unit that improves efficiency and significantly increases mine productivity.
Who are the partners behind the OrigemA project, and which organisations provided financial support?
OrigemA is an initiative of AWDC, the umbrella organisation of the Antwerp diamond industry, and has been made possible through financial support from the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs. The project launched in 2022 in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the NGO Resolve and technology partner Everledger, with financial support from the Peacebuilding Service of the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs. Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot invested a total of EUR 200,000 in the project through the Peacebuilding Fund.
What is the broader impact of the OrigemA project on local communities?
Additional resources are reinvested directly into the community, enabling investments in infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare and education, making diamond mining a tangible driver of local development and prosperity. The project directly and indirectly reaches approximately 3 million people in the regions involved.
How significant is artisanal diamond production in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the world's largest producer of artisanal diamonds. An estimated 70% of global artisanal diamond production originates from the DRC. Artisanal mining also plays a crucial role within the country itself: approximately 85% of all Congolese diamond production comes from artisanal mining sites. This makes initiatives such as OrigemA particularly relevant for the future of the sector and for the many communities that depend on diamond mining for their livelihoods.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor-In-Chief, Rough & Polished
