The government this week expressed its support for Botswana’s decision to establish a diamond certification point for exports to G7 markets. The announcement, made jointly with the G7 Diamond Technical Team aims to enhance transparency and traceability in the global diamond trade.
“We also welcome the commitment made in the same statement that the G7 Diamond Technical Team will continue to engage other African diamond-producing countries such as Namibia and Angola to set up additional export certification nodes. This is a step in the right direction,” said the Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo in a statement.
Alweendo said the establishment of export certification nodes in African countries supports the important principle that diamonds should be certified as close to the source as possible and that countries like Botswana, Namibia, and Angola should be able to certify their diamonds for trade with the G7.
“Such measures would ensure that there are no disruptions to African trade in diamonds, to safeguard the stability of a key sector that is a cornerstone of the economies of our countries, providing vital jobs and much-needed socio economic development.,” he said.
According to Alweendo, the government is also deeply committed to preserving the integrity of its sovereignty, advancing the economic developmental plans, and maintaining our technical capacity to manage national resources in a responsible and sustainable manner.
“Our country, Namibia, is known for its responsible and transparent diamond governance and has put in place robust controls which provide for the effective provenance, traceability, certification and monitoring of rough diamonds, in line with the Kimberley Process. We firmly believe that by strengthening the existing Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and working together in partnership with the G7, we can achieve our shared goals of ethical trade and sustainable development,” he said.
Meanwhile, Alweendo said Namibia looks forward to future engagements with the G7 Diamond Technical Team, following the latter’s familiarisation visit to Namibia from 8th to 10th September this year.
“Namibia believes that the only way to work together is in partnership, with mutual respect, and through mutually beneficial relations. We stand ready to continue to engage the G7 based on these important fundamental principles. We hope that through continued dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation, we can ensure that our collective efforts lead to a more transparent, sustainable, and ethical global diamond trade,” he concluded.
