African Diamond Producers Association Starts Operating

The African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) was officially formed yesterday in Luanda, setting the stage for a first formal attempt to coordinate Africa-wide efforts to reap greater benefits from its diamonds.

The members say they are “a sustaining and influential intergovernmental association that not only congregates, but legislates, supports, defends and audits the transactions of each diamond producing country contained by Africa.”

The organization’s goal is to “introduce effective strategies and policies” aimed at “devolving sovereignty and recovering loss revenue” for the member states.

They vowed to combat conflict diamonds and enhance their diamond trade.

A steering committee, made up of six Council of Geology/Mining Ministers representing the governments of Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe was appointed.

Dr Andre Action Diakite Jackson was named chairman of the African Diamond Council (ADC) and ADPA.