Nosiphiwo Mzamo: South Africa’s State Diamond Trader to buy diamonds from other African countries

South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) is set to buy diamonds from other African countries starting with Botswana. SDT’s chief executive Nosiphiwo Mzamo told Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa at the country’s inaugural diamond show, which...

10 february 2025

Edahn Golan: Halo effect from lab-grown diamonds driving high demand for large, 2-carat natural stones in the U.S.

Edahn Golan, owner of the eponymous Edahn Golan Diamond Research and Data, told Rough & Polished's Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview that their research found a halo effect from lab-grown diamonds. He said the trend among lab-grown diamond...

27 january 2025

Paul Zimnisky: We will see a modest recovery in natural diamond demand and prices in 2025

According to Paul Zimnisky, an independent diamond and jewellery analyst and consultant based in the New York metro area, the natural diamond industry will see a modest recovery in demand and prices this year. Zimnisky said a moderate recovery would...

13 january 2025

African Diamond Council makes traceability its top priority, wants KP to embrace Authentia.io

The African Diamond Council (ADC) has made traceability its foremost priority and has been contributing to a traceability solution called Authentia.io for the last three and a half years, which is now ready to globally satisfy the traceability...

16 december 2024

Gaetano Cavalieri: CIBJO leading the jewelry industry on critical issues

One of the gem and jewellery industry’s most well-known and respected personalities, Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, has been the president of the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), for the past 23 years. CIBJO is the oldest international organisation...

09 december 2024

Kimberley Process Chair visits CAR with a prospect of reinstating its diamond trade

22 february 2024

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the current UAE’s chairman of the Kimberley Process, paid a visit to the Central African Republic (CAR) to assess the situation in the country’s diamond sector.

The visit may pave way to KP's official review and reinstatement of CAR’s diamond trade. Bin Sulayem visited CAR previously in 2016 as then-chairman of the KP.

During the five-day visit, Bin Sulayem engaged in discussions with government officials, industry representatives and artisanal miners across the country. Civil Society, a Kimberley Process member, has previously echoed concerns about the slow pace of CAR's full reinstatement into the Kimberley Process, emphasising the need for constructive approaches to ensure the country and its people benefit from their diamond wealth.

Since 2013, the Kimberley Process has imposed a temporary ban on the import and export of rough diamonds from CAR due to unrest. With the security situation improving, eight subprefectures have since been approved for diamond exports, while 16 remain restricted.

“By not reinstating certain regions of CAR into the Kimberley Process, it means that diamonds mined in non-approved areas can only be traded illicitly, significantly impacting the livelihood of families and children across the country, ” Bin Sulayem said.

“We strongly urge the CAR Monitoring Team, led by the USA, to expedite a review mission which has not been prioritised for ten years. Our recent visit to CAR reaffirms the need for action.”

Theodor Lisovoy, Editor in Chief of the European bureau, Rough&Polished