Zim free to regularise diamond industry: KPCS

Source: Zim free to regularise diamond industry: KPCS | The Herald

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter—
Zimbabwe is free to regulate its diamond industry and the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme will not interfere in the decision by Harare to consolidate mining firms into one, a senior official for the world body on the precious mineral has said. Visiting KPCS chairperson, Mr Ahmed Bin Sulayem from the United Arab Emirates said the consolidation of diamond mining firms by the Government was an internal issue, which did not warrant the world body’s intervention.

Mr Sulayem said this in an interview with journalists soon after paying a courtesy call on President Mugabe at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare. His comments put paid to some Western organisations and the local private media that wanted Zimbabwe to be censured for assuming control of diamond extraction following the expiry of mining licences of firms that used to mine the gems at Marange.

“This is the situation that Zimbabwe has taken, and they know what is best for them. From our side, we are working on coming to a solution that brings the KPCS and bring all the producing countries to know the value of the rough diamonds. We will, at the end of this month, hold a workshop on valuation for rough diamonds,” said Mr Sulayem.

He described the discussion he had with President Mugabe as fruitful, coming soon after he had visited Chiadzwa diamond fields on Monday. Mr Sulayem said he was impressed by the system Zimbabwe put in place at Chiadzwa diamond fields.

“As of seven years ago, I did not know much about Zimbabwe except what I read from media reports, television and the Internet. Yes, there are challenges in Africa, but we have noticed that it is not everything that is as presented in the media,” said Mr Suyalem.

The KPCS chairperson said he came to Zimbabwe to do a familiarisation tour of member states, having gone to Burkina Faso, Congo, Angola, Central African Republic and, he was now heading to Namibia.

Mr Sulayem said it was critical that diamond-producing countries value beneficiation and value addition to maximise returns for their minerals. He said they would convene a special forum of experts on diamond valuation in Belgium this weekend.

“We want to have all the producing countries to know the value before they ship them out. We will be talking to all the experts. We want to have the experts’ views. We will know more after the end of this month.

“The big business, big traders, do not buy diamonds on estimates, they want to have an idea of what this value is. So, all these stakeholders will come together,” said Mr Sulayem. Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa said the position by KPCS not to interfere on how member countries regulate their industry was correct.

“He is absolutely right in the sense that the KPCS’s position is that governments take their decisions in so far as the structure of the industry is concerned. What the KPCS is interested in doing is to ensure that the structure enables the countries to make sure that the security is tightened, traceability of diamonds is guaranteed, and that you do not have diamonds going out of the system.

“We briefed the chairman and his team about the new system, the fact that we now have one Government company that owns all diamond activities and that the systems that were in the individual companies will now be inherited in the new company particularly as we move towards the consolidated company. They are satisfied with that, and we are also happy that we share the same view,” said Minister Chidhakwa.

He commended the KP chairperson for embarking on a familiarisation tour of member countries. “We are happy with the initiatives that the chairman has taken-firstly the fact of going to other African countries, particularly to see how the producers were doing, familiarising himself with the difficulties in the various countries.

“We took him to Marange yesterday, and he had an opportunity to see what is on the ground. He has made his comments, very positive, satisfied with the security issues, but we also believe that we can continue to work with the KPCS to ensure that systems continue to be improved.”

Minister Chidhakwa hailed KPCS for convening a workshop on valuation of diamonds saying that was one of their major challenge as member countries. “Zimbabweans are keen to know what they are worth, what the value of diamonds is and we will continue to engage international institutions such as the KPCS to assist that Zimbabweans know what they are worth,” said Minister Chidhakwa.