On a visit to Anvers Belgium, the world’s diamond capital, Central African President Faustin-Archange Touadéra met several executives of mining companies in a bid to promote his country’s diamond resources.
To that end, President Touadera held talks with Nishit Parekh, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Stephane Fischer, the President of the World Diamond Center with whom he addressed several issues.
The CAR leader chaired two meetings with diamond dealers before going to the Diamond Museum where he appealed for the lifting of the Kimberley Process embargo meant to fight blood diamonds in his country.
During these meetings, President Touadera urged major diamond companies such as Deebers and Alrosa to open branches in CAR so as to prevent fraud in the sector.
According to him, a minimum threshold must be established on the basis of which the strongest companies would be able to demonstrate official exports of a certain volume.
“All existing buying offices can demonstrate their ability to formalize exports and withdraw from any engagement in the informal circuit,” he said.
President Touadera promised the world’s diamond dealers he would issue a presidential decree amending the Mining Code in force and oblige buying offices to export at least CFAF 1.75 billion worth of diamonds per quarter and the suspension or withdrawal of approval for purchasing offices that do not demonstrate the minimum amount of exports.
“Solutions to the revival of the Central African diamond trade, once renowned for its quality, must be found together with the partners of the sector,” he concluded.
BB/cd/te/pn/as/APA