Luanda - The fight against illegal diamond exploration, money laundering and the involvement of children in extractive activities are some of the measures that Angola continues to observe for the continued appreciation of natural diamonds, in a context of increase in synthetic stones, the minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino de Azevedo, said Thursday in Luanda Province.
Speaking to the press at the end of a meeting with the chairman of the Kimberley Process (PK), Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the minister defended the need to protect the environment and communities surrounding diamond projects and combat illegal immigration with emphasis on the implementation of the diamond traceability system, with a view to maintaining prices at levels that allow exploration to be profitable.
Diamantino de Azevedo specified that the Angolan government will continue to defend such plans for the safety of this mineral, taking into account the importance and potential of the country in the world market for natural diamonds.
During the meeting, the two officials discussed, among others, aspects linked to the training of Angolan technicians in diamond exploration, production, cutting and polishing.
They also spoke about diamond certification systems, the global market for these commodities and the assessments against Russian diamonds imposed by the G7.
Luanda hosts this Friday the meeting of the "Ad Hoc" Committee for Review and Reform of the Kimberley Process, which aims to review the concept of conflict diamonds and the diplomas that make up the PK, technical assistance to communities adjacent to exploration areas, as well as preparing the mechanism's plenary session, taking place from the 11th to the 15th of November, in the United Arab Emirates.
The meeting, which takes place in the hybrid system, has the participation of representatives from most of the member countries of this United Nations mechanism, planned 21 years ago, with the aim of preventing trade in conflict diamonds.
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