Dear Friends,
I was invited to attend the 30th anniversary celebration of the Catoca mine this month, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Angola’s independence. It made me think of the very important part that African countries play in the global diamond industry, and their interest in assuming an even larger role.
When we hosted the newly elected President of Botswana Mr. Duma Boka and the Ministers of Mining of both Botswana, Ms. Bogolo Kenewendo, and Angola, Mr. Diamantino Azevedo, at the WFDB Presidents’ Meeting in June, we heard a loud and clear message that those two countries want to be active participants in the international diamond community.
To underline their intentions, Angola and Botswana have expressed their interest in joining the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB). Angola’s newly established Angola Diamond Exchange seeks entry, while Botswana’s diamond industry leaders have expressed a parallel commitment. Their desire to join the WFDB, which we announced during the Presidents’ Meeting in June, signal their commitment to take part in shaping the future direction of the diamond trade.
The transformative moment for the global diamond industry continued with the Luanda Accord, signed on June 18, 2025, in Angola’s capital. This landmark agreement brought together the continent’s leading diamond-producing nations and international organizations to launch a unified campaign to promote natural diamonds worldwide. Angola and Botswana emerged as pivotal leaders during the negotiations. All signatories pledged to contribute 1% of their annual rough diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council’s international marketing fund—an unprecedented gesture which we hope will reinvigorate consumer demand by underscoring the authentic diamond story, and the positive impact of natural diamonds on producer nations’ economies and communities.
The leadership we are seeing from the African producers heralds a fundamental shift: African producer nations are not only driving global supply but asserting themselves in international decision-making forums. Their participation in the WFDB will allow for greater influence over policy, technology, and the narrative surrounding natural diamonds. Both countries are championing investment, innovation, and ethical practices, ensuring that their voices—and those of Africa at large—are integral to diamond industry governance and promotion.
The new message emerging from the African producers is a dedication to ethical practices, transparency and a shared global vision, to protect the legacy and value of natural diamonds globally. I believe that now is the time to listen to this message and to welcome them to the table.
Regards,
Yoram Dvash
