Zimbabwe President Mugabe Opens Diamond Conference
November 06, 14
 President Mugabe addressing the conference. |
"The introduction of technology is critical for us in helping value addition and beneficiation," Mugabe said. "We have been held back by this technology deficiency. We need to bring value addition from polishing of our diamonds all the way up to making jewelry. This will bring benefit to investors and to our people.
"We reserve 10 percent of our rough diamonds for local cutting and polishing. This will be reviewed as the industry grows. It is now only in its infant stage."
He said the country's Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is currently inspecting a site that would house cutting and polishing companies, service providers and a diamond exchange.
The conference, being held in the capital, Harare, under the theme 'Completing Zimbabwe’s Diamond Potential for the Future' heard presentations from a range of diamond industry figures from across the world.
The conference was opened by Professor Francis Gudyanga, Permanent Secretary at Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, who told attendees of the potential of Zimbabwe's diamonds in benefitting the country's population. The gathering aimed to "rebrand of external perceptions of the country in general and its diamond industry in particular."
Zimbabwe's Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Walter K. Chidakwa, said the mining sector has been identified as the centerpiece of the country’s economic recovery program and its success is based on the success of value addition and beneficiation. "With a 45-percent contribution to exports and $4 billion worth of contribution to GDP, it is an important sector of our economy."
Honorary World Diamond Council President Eli Izhakoff recalled his involvement in 2010 in enabling the export of diamonds from the controversial Marange area as KP compliant." It was a testament to the principle that, when such important issues are at stake, one must continue talking until common ground can be found," he said.
 The opening session of the conference. |
"The results of that momentous meeting, I believe, speak for themselves. Zimbabwe’s diamond output rose to a peak of about 12 million carats in 2012. Zimbabwe's share of African production stood at 15.2 percent by volume in 2013, and accounted for 8 percent of global output, making the country the world’s sixth largest producer," Izhakoff added.
Other speakers on the first day of the conference included Ngoako Ramatlhodi, Minister of Mineral Resources of the Republic of South Africa, and Gaetano Cavalieri, President of CIBJO. Cavalieri reminded the audience that in 2007 the annual CIBJO congress took place in Cape Town, and was the first time that such an industry event had been held in Africa.
"In the presence of the South African deputy president and ministers from governments throughout the region, our General Assembly ratified a statement that has since become known as the Cape Town Declaration. It noted the role of the world jewelry industry in promoting Corporate Social Responsibility, and recognised “that the jewelry industry, as a member of the international business community, shares a responsibility toward the greater society in seeking practical solutions towards the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, as well as to developing a global partnership for development.”