UAE Wraps Up Kimberley Process Plenary in Dubai, Achieves Key Goals

Photo : Dubai Government Media Office

The UAE recently finished hosting a big meeting called the Kimberley Process (KP) Plenary in Dubai. This meeting was part of Dubai Diamond Week, where people from the diamond business, governments, and other groups came together to discuss important matters about diamonds.

Several important decisions were made during the meeting. The biggest one was that Uzbekistan became the 60th country to join the Kimberley Process. This is important because having more countries in the process makes it stronger. Another big decision was that the Central African Republic (CAR) was allowed to join again. CAR had been banned from selling rough diamonds for over ten years. Now, they can start selling diamonds legally again. The UAE helped CAR by improving security, making this possible.

The UAE also introduced a plan to make the process of certifying diamonds more modern. Instead of paper certificates, they want to use digital certificates. These certificates will use a technology called blockchain, which makes them more secure and harder to fake. This will help make the Kimberley Process safer and more modern.

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Another big step was setting up a permanent Kimberley Process office in Botswana, which the UAE helped make happen. This will help make the process more official and organized.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, who led the UAE in this effort, was very proud of the progress made this year. He said the UAE kept its promise to make real changes, not just talk about them. He also mentioned the UAE helped create the new digital certificate system and worked hard to bring CAR back into the process.

The Minister of Mines and Geology from CAR, H.E. Rufin Benam-Beltoungou, thanked the UAE for helping CAR return to the Kimberley Process. He said lifting the diamond ban would help the country in the future.

Jeff Bamenjo, who represents the Civil Society Coalition, also praised the UAE for working closely with the people affected by the diamond trade. He said it’s important to continue talking to these communities to make sure diamonds are traded fairly.

Feriel Zerouki, the President of the World Diamond Council, also thanked the UAE. She said the new digital certificates will help make the diamond trade safer and clearer. She believes this will help the industry grow in a good way.

In 2025, the UAE will lead the Kimberley Process again. They will continue to work on improving the process and making sure the diamond industry remains honest and fair. This year’s work shows the UAE’s commitment to making the diamond trade better for everyone.