KP Chair Visits Central African Republic
June 20, 16
(IDEX Online News) – Ahmed Bin Sulayem became the first sitting Kimberley Process chairman to visit the Central African Republic (CAR), following the organization’s recent decision to allow the resumption of diamond exports.
Bin Sulayem met with CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera and newly appointed mines minister Leopoldi Mboli Fratran. Touadera thanked the KP chair for his support in providing as much assistance as possible for CAR to meet its KP mandates and enable the return of the country’s rough diamonds to the international marketplace.
One of Bin Sulayem’s first decisions as KP chair was to push for the resumption of rough diamond exports from CAR – the world’s fourth poorest country. It is likely that the resumption in the flow of diamonds will likely make a significant impact on the local economy.
“My visit here this week is to see for myself not only what progress has been made at senior level, but what it’s like ‘on the ground’ now that the country has turned a corner,” said Bin Sulayem as he visited townships and remote villages as part of his three-day trip, including the diamond areas of Carnot, Boda and Nola.
“The effective resumption of exports from CAR was one of the main priorities of the KP chairmanship 2016 and now, I’m able to see for myself what that means in real terms right here on the ground.”