Diamantino Azevedo was speaking at the handover ceremony of the new headquarters of the African Diamond Products Association (ADPA), an organization created in Luanda in 2006, which until now has operated in temporary facilities.
According to Diamantino Azevedo, the diamond industry requires attention from producers, specifically with regard to the drop in the price of natural diamonds on the international market, the competition between natural and artificial diamonds and the pressure on the diamond traceability system.
Referring to the situation of ADPA, the minister said that, in 2019, it was decided to carry out a process of reform of the institution, advocating the review of its functioning, greater engagement of member states in the payment of annual financial quotas, the affiliation of Botswana, as well as the improvement of working conditions for employees.
“We believe that a large part of these objectives are being achieved and the proof is the excellent working conditions that the Government of Angola has provided since today”, he stressed.
In turn, the Minister of Mines and Mine Development of Zimbabwe, present at the ceremony, stressed that ADPA has stood out as a voice for African diamond producers in the face of the “unprecedented” challenges that the sector has been facing.
Wiston Chitando, current Chairman of the ADPA Council of Ministers, said the diamond sector in Africa continues to grow and with the lifting of diamond trade restrictions in the Central African Republic, “the sector is on a positive trajectory”.
