Historic KP Secretariat in Gaborone Inaugurated

 

The Secretariat supports the 59 nodes of the diamond trade! 

The UN-mandated Kimberley Process (KP), chaired by Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO and Executive Chairman of DMCC, inaugurated the historic KP Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana. 

The new Secretariat office - the first of its kind for the Kimberley Process will employ up to five people in its first year, serving as a hub for institutional memory, continuity, and ongoing support for the KP’s working groups and member countries. The office will be led by Mr Bojun Tang. 

The inauguration ceremony was led by KP Chair Ahmed Bin Sulayem and Botswana’s Honourable Minister of Minerals and Energy, Lefoko Moagi, following a courtesy visit to Botswana’s president, HE Dr. Mokgweeti E.K Masisi, during which the country’s firm commitment to the KP was reaffirmed. Attendees of the ceremony included officials from the Government of Botswana, key industry participants, and representatives from Angola, China, the EU, Russia, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK, and more.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem commented: “The opening of the KP Secretariat marks a historic day for the future of the diamond trade and the Kimberley Process - a true milestone in our commitment to ensure this is a year of delivery for the diamond industry.  

The new office will serve as a backbone to the Kimberley Process, driving unity and helping ensure diamonds continue to be a positive force for African development, bringing real benefits to communities and economies alike. As KP Chair, I want to sincerely thank the Government of Botswana for its hospitality, generosity, and unwavering dedication in making this vision a reality.”  

He added: “The KP, with its 59 nodes of diamond control offices around the world, is the only mechanism that safeguards the legitimate diamond trade within a controlled environment. Today’s announcement builds on a process that has been tried and tested for 21 years, while ensuring Africa benefits from its diamond resources.”  

With its 59 participating diamond control offices, the Kimberley Process ensures that rough diamonds are traded and tracked in a highly controlled, transparent, and accountable manner. The KP is the only global standard for ensuring that conflict diamonds do not enter the trade.  

During the ceremony, Botswana officials highlighted that the establishment of the KP Secretariat represents a significant milestone in the evolution of the KP Certification Scheme. They emphasised the importance of working together to make the KP Secretariat a success and an institution that the KP community can be proud of, while also noting concerns over the impact of global geopolitical tensions on the diamond market.

Under its ‘Year of Delivery’ as KP Chair, the UAE has pursued a bold agenda to overcome political gridlocks and drive concrete actions, including establishing a permanent Secretariat in Botswana and continuing the essential KP review and reform cycle.  

The KP is an international group tasked with regulating the global diamond trade. Established in 2003 by the United Nations, it comprises 85 countries with 59 control nodes that seek to ensure that unregulated rough diamonds do not enter the legitimate diamond market as a means to finance conflict. In 2016, the UAE became the first and only Arab country appointed to the annual Chairmanship.

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) in the UAE falls under the Ministry of Economy, which has authorised DMCC to manage the nation’s import and export procedures for rough diamonds. Last year, the UAE recorded robust growth in its trade of rough and polished diamonds, reaching a combined value of USD 38.3 billion.  

The UAE is home to the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) at Almas Tower, Dubai. This building houses the UAE’s main KP office, ensuring the legitimate trade of diamonds throughout the country. The DDE is the world’s largest diamond tender facility and home to over 1,300 diamond companies, providing members and industry professionals with state-of-the-art infrastructure, facilities, and services to grow and trade with confidence. The DDE is an active member of the World Diamond Council, the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, CIBJO - the World Jewellery Confederation, and the Responsible Jewellery Council.