SourcingJan 07, 2026
Diamonds Do Good Releases 2025 Impact ReportSourcingJan 26, 2026
Angolan Diamond Cos. Join NDC as Rio Tinto, Murowa Exit
Endiama and Sodiam will contribute money to the marketing of natural diamonds as new members of the Natural Diamond Council.
Angola’s diamond development hub in the city of Saurimo, as photographed in November 2021. Angola’s national diamond company, Endiama E.P., and its diamond marketing company, Sodiam E.P., have joined the Natural Diamond Council, which works to promote natural diamonds worldwide. (Photo credit/courtesy of Paul Zimnisky)
New York—The Natural Diamond Council announced last week that two diamond companies from Angola, Endiama E.P. and Sodiam E.P., have joined the organization as members, a move that ultimately will double NDC’s budget.
Endiama E.P. is the Empresa Nacional de Diamantes de Angola, or the National Diamond Company of Angola.
Sodiam E.P. is the Empresa Nacional de Comercialização de Diamantes de Angola, or the National Diamond Marketing Company of Angola.
The companies’ membership in NDC follows the signing of the Luanda Accord in June 2025.
Six diamond-producing countries and four industry organizations signed the pledge, with producer countries and De Beers Group agreeing to contribute 1 percent of annual rough diamond revenues to NDC to promote natural diamonds.
At the time the accord was signed, Endiama E.P. and Sodiam E.P. announced that they would join NDC as contributing members on July 1 and immediately kick in $8 million for marketing ahead of the holiday season, with De Beers pledging a matching contribution.
But their membership, and their funding, never came to pass in 2025.
When asked about the six-month delay, NDC Managing Director for North America Kristina Buckley Kayel said Endiama and Sodiam formally requested NDC membership back in June but their request required a period of governance review and due diligence to “ensure full compliance with NDC bylaws, financial regulations, and the specific considerations that apply to producer-government entities.”
She also confirmed that the $16 million in additional funding—$8 million from the two Angolan companies plus the matching contribution from De Beers—has now come through.
She said the $16 million contributes to a 2026 budget that will be approximately double that of the past two years and is a “significant recovery toward historic peak funding levels,” a reference to the organization’s budget prior to major producer Alrosa’s exit in 2022.
Kayel said more information about NDC’s budget will be shared after new CEO Amber Pepper is on board. Pepper’s scheduled start date is Feb. 2.
Related stories will be right here …
Endiama E.P. is the Empresa Nacional de Diamantes de Angola, or the National Diamond Company of Angola.
Sodiam E.P. is the Empresa Nacional de Comercialização de Diamantes de Angola, or the National Diamond Marketing Company of Angola.
The companies’ membership in NDC follows the signing of the Luanda Accord in June 2025.
Six diamond-producing countries and four industry organizations signed the pledge, with producer countries and De Beers Group agreeing to contribute 1 percent of annual rough diamond revenues to NDC to promote natural diamonds.
At the time the accord was signed, Endiama E.P. and Sodiam E.P. announced that they would join NDC as contributing members on July 1 and immediately kick in $8 million for marketing ahead of the holiday season, with De Beers pledging a matching contribution.
But their membership, and their funding, never came to pass in 2025.
When asked about the six-month delay, NDC Managing Director for North America Kristina Buckley Kayel said Endiama and Sodiam formally requested NDC membership back in June but their request required a period of governance review and due diligence to “ensure full compliance with NDC bylaws, financial regulations, and the specific considerations that apply to producer-government entities.”
She also confirmed that the $16 million in additional funding—$8 million from the two Angolan companies plus the matching contribution from De Beers—has now come through.
She said the $16 million contributes to a 2026 budget that will be approximately double that of the past two years and is a “significant recovery toward historic peak funding levels,” a reference to the organization’s budget prior to major producer Alrosa’s exit in 2022.
Kayel said more information about NDC’s budget will be shared after new CEO Amber Pepper is on board. Pepper’s scheduled start date is Feb. 2.
Endiama E.P. and Sodiam E.P. join De Beers, Botswana’s Okavango Diamond Company, and Petra Diamonds as NDC council members.
Rio Tinto and Murowa, which operates a diamond mine in Zimbabwe, are no longer active NDC members, as the companies were not contributing at the level required for active membership, Kayel said.
She noted that NDC “maintains an open and collaborative relationship with both organizations and remains optimistic about future engagement as market conditions evolve and circumstances allow.”
In addition to Angola, the other signatories to the Luanda Accord were: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Antwerp World Diamond Centre, African Diamond Producers Association, Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, and the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre.
A few months after the accord was signed, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre published an open letter stating that the momentum around the accord was dissipating and calling on all signatories to honor their commitment to help fund NDC.
When asked about the accord last week, Kayel said the purpose of it was not to immediately bring in new NDC members, but to establish an agreement among governments in diamond-producing countries and industry stakeholders to support global generic natural diamond marketing through NDC.
She declined to share which of the signatories have contributed money to NDC but noted that the organization remains in communication with all of them.
Kayel said the process is expected to speed up after Pepper starts on Feb. 2, and further updates on funding will be shared when appropriate.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
Weekly QuizMar 26, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant ApplicationsApplications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
IndependentsMar 26, 2026
Peter Smith Pens Book on Human Behavior in Sales“Essentially Human: On Sales and Salespeople" reveals the underlying human traits and behaviors of the most successful sales professionals.
CollectionsMar 26, 2026
Lionheart Celebrates 13 Years of ‘Cassandane’The collection features symbols of love, luck, and light, based on the story of Queen Cassandane and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
NAJA, Instappraise Introduce New ScholarshipIt’s the third scholarship to be launched as part of the partnership to help appraisers advance their professional credentials.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
JA Still Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsThe deadline for entries in the jewelry design competition has been extended to April 3.
SourcingMar 25, 2026
Rob Bates Steps Down as JCK News Director After 28 years with JCK, the veteran industry journalist is launching his own publication on Substack called The Jewelry Wire.
GradingMar 25, 2026
New York’s Natural History Museum, Wiley To Build Minerals DatabaseWiley said the project will give scientists worldwide access to the American Museum of Natural’s History renowned mineral collection.
CollectionsMar 25, 2026
Boochier Turns Flower Friendship Bracelets Into Fine JewelryThe “Flower Puff” collection looks to beaded flower friendship bracelets from childhood, turning the silhouette into nostalgic fine jewelry.
Policies & IssuesMar 25, 2026
Community for Ethical Jewelry to Host Bench Jeweler Shortage WebinarSet for April 2, the webinar will discuss how the jewelry industry can address the workforce gap.
IndependentsMar 24, 2026
Lisa Bayer, Illustrator and Beloved Member of the Muse Family, Dies at 64Bayer, founder of Lisa Bayer Designs, is remembered as “a bright light in every room.”
