The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
THE extra-ordinary meeting of the Association of African Diamond Producing Countries (ADPA) Committee of Experts and Council of Ministers ended here on Friday with member states resolving to invite more members and to strengthen the continental body.
The conference started on Wednesday and President Mnangagwa officiated on Thursday where he implored African diamond producing nations to make a mark in the precious mineral and make sure none of the diamonds are exported in their raw form.
The President called for localised value addition saying Africa produces 60 percent of global diamonds hence can lead the world if these are processed locally. Speaking after the close of the meeting, Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando said it’s now time to lure more members to ADPA and to make the association strong.
“We have had a very successful conference which was officially opened by President Mnangagwa. Subsequent to the official opening there was a meeting of the committee of experts which met yesterday and came up with some recommendations for consideration by the Council of Ministers meeting which was held today.
“The resolutions were debated and relevant decisions made. At this stage it suffices to say the main discussions resolutions are around strengthening the secretariat of ADPA. That’s the main focus of the resolutions made,” said Minister Chitando who is vice-chair of the ADPA. Zimbabwe is vice-chair of ADPA deputising Tanzania and will take over in April next year for the two ensuing years.
Minister Chitando said there will be another extra-ordinary meeting to be held in July to follow through what was agreed at this particular conference with the aim of strengthening ADPA. He said a consultant in the form of Deloitte was appointed to review the administrative structure of ADPA and make recommendations on how that ought to be improved.
A new organogram was agreed upon based on the consultant’s recommendations. Tanzania deputy Minister of Minerals Steven Kuruswa who was standing in for the chair, Minister Doto Biteko said there are some key diamond producing countries like Botswana that are not members of ADPA. ADPA has 19 members, 15 of them active and four merely observers. Twelve of them attended the conference physically while the other seven followed virtually.
“We have 19 members and they are not the only ones producing diamond. Even among the 19 some are just observers. There are other countries that have not yet joined. One of the discussions was to make this organisation as widely shared by countries as possible. Botswana is one of countries that produce and are not members and the resolution is to make sure we have more members as possible,” he said.
Countries diamonds apply to the body for membership and as long as comply with minimum requirements and contribute membership fees, they qualify.
Many countries, including Zimbabwe and Tanzania have deliberate policies not to allow exportation of diamonds alongside other minerals in their raw form in an effort to promote value-addition. Zimbabwe is also a member of the Kimberly Process where the country is vice-chair and will assume chairmanship in November this year.
-@ncubeleon
