Policies & IssuesAug 27, 2024
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G7 Announces Botswana as Second Verification ‘Node’ for Rough Diamonds
Botswana joins Antwerp as a certification center for rough under the G7 ban on Russian diamonds.
The G7 said Wednesday that it has added a second certification point for rough diamonds—Botswana. The world’s largest diamond producer by value and the sorting center for all De Beers Group’s goods, the southern African country’s rough verification operations will be up and running “as soon as possible” in 2025.
Antwerp, Belgium—Botswana will join Antwerp as a certification “node” for rough diamonds, a critical addition to the G7’s efforts to keep diamonds mined in Russia from entering any of the Group of Seven nations.
The G7’s diamond technical team and Botswana jointly announced the news Wednesday, the second day of the annual Facets diamond conference in Antwerp.
The new president of Botswana, His Excellency Duma G. Boko, made his diamond industry debut at the conference Tuesday, speaking about his country’s role in enhancing transparency and accountability in the supply chain.
“Botswana is committed to pioneering traceability and responsible mining practices, ensuring that our diamonds not only shine in beauty but also embody integrity and ethical stewardship,” Boko said.
The G7’s diamond technical team and Botswana jointly announced the news Wednesday, the second day of the annual Facets diamond conference in Antwerp.
The new president of Botswana, His Excellency Duma G. Boko, made his diamond industry debut at the conference Tuesday, speaking about his country’s role in enhancing transparency and accountability in the supply chain.
“Botswana is committed to pioneering traceability and responsible mining practices, ensuring that our diamonds not only shine in beauty but also embody integrity and ethical stewardship,” Boko said.
The G7 import ban on non-industrial diamonds “mined, processed, or produced” in Russia went into effect on Jan. 1 of this year, nearly two years after the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Diamonds were part of a broader swath of measures G7 members said they would be undertaking in order to make it more difficult for Russia to fund its war in Ukraine.
The G7 is comprised of the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, Germany, Canada, and France. The European Union is a non-enumerated member.
On March 1, the ban expanded to include diamonds mined in Russia but cut and polished in other countries, and a verification “node”—an office that could certify the origin of rough diamonds and issue G7 certificates—opened in Antwerp.
But the office was plagued with delays and there was near-universal objection in the diamond industry to there being a single checkpoint for all diamonds entering G7 nations.
Players including Jewelers of America, De Beers Group, India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, the African Diamond Producers Association, and even the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) voiced their opposition to a single-node system.
Less than two months after the March 1 ban went into effect, AWDC CEO Ari Epstein stepped down after 13 years in the position and 19 years with the organization.
Karen Rentmeesters took over and since has publicly expressed support for the establishment of additional rough diamond certification centers outside Antwerp.
Supporters of opening additional verification centers scored another victory in June when Belgium Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, whose government backed the single-node system, resigned after his party suffered heavy losses in the general election.
On Wednesday, AWDC issued a statement on the addition of Botswana as a verification “node,” with Rentmeesters stating, “The Belgian Diamond Office, the import and export body that implements the most rigorous physical and administrative controls, is globally recognized as the benchmark for transparency—a role we take immense pride in.
“We are now sharing this carefully built knowledge and technical expertise with other countries like Botswana. Essentially, we are offering a blueprint that meets today’s requirements for compliance and transparency.”
The G7 said the teams in Belgium and Botswana conducted a comprehensive gap analysis of the framework in place in Botswana to certify the origin of rough diamonds.
Botswana is now working with the G7’s diamond technical team to address any identified gaps.
The goal is for the country’s export certification node to be operational “as soon as possible” in 2025.
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