President Mnangagwa Urges African Countries to Scale Up Value Addition on Diamonds
Mako Jerera
VICTORIA FALLS – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has challenged countries that are members of the African Diamond Producers Association to prioritise and scale up value addition and beneficiation of diamonds to contribute to the sustainable economic growth of African economies significantly.
The President was speaking at the 8th Ordinary Meeting of the African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) Committee of Experts and Council of Ministers Meeting in Victoria Falls on Thursday.
He said Zimbabwe as the current chair of Kimberly Processing is determined to effectively coordinate and consolidate the work of the Secretariat of (ADPA), adding that citizens from member states must be empowered and facilitated to play a more significant role in the diamond value chain.
“On your part as diamond-producing countries, you are challenged to prioritise and scale up value addition and beneficiation going into the future.
“Deliberate policies aimed at broadening beneficiation in the mining sector in general, must be facilitated, towards realising maximum benefits from our Continent’s rich natural resource endowment,” he said.
Midway through his speech, the Head of State said citizens, especially the youth and women, should not be mere spectators but active participants in aspects of this strategic mining sub-sector.
“To date, Zimbabwe is strengthening capabilities in the diamond sector with the recent establishment of a Gemmology Centre,” he said.
He also called for policies entailing sound mining practices critical for sustainable and beneficial mining activities on the continent.
“Innovative strategies by mining houses should be deployed to improve the welfare of employees, local communities and society at large, over and above the traditional contribution to our national economic growth and development,” he said.
He said the meeting was held at an opportune time when Africa is sharpening its multi-pronged strategies to accelerate the industrialisation, modernisation and development of Africa.
“Since your last meeting, it is noteworthy that the mining sector in Africa and Zimbabwe in particular continues to grow in leaps and bounds.
“As a country, we are privileged to be a founding member of the African Diamond Producers Association.
“We remain confident that this Association is the panacea to the intricate challenges faced by member states in their respective diamond sectors,”
President Mnangagwa commended Tanzania for ably steering the Association during the tenure of their chairmanship of the African Diamond Producers Association in 2021 and 2022 and member states for positive strides made in the diamond sector, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ADPA was formed on November 4, 2006, as a continental branch of the African Diamond Council, Africa’s supreme diamond governing body. It has 13 member states which include Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic
Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo and Zimbabwe.
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