“Develop Africa,” the Dubai Diamond Exchange’s recently concluded training program for diamond professionals from African diamond-producing countries, was hailed by participants as a significant step towards promoting development in the diamond-producing countries of Africa.
The participants said that the course had considerably exceeded their expectations and that they looked forward to using the knowledge gained to benefit the diamond industry in their home countries.
“The exposure to a global diamond trading centre like Dubai and the extensive training that we received in the grading and identification of rough and polished diamonds will enable us to break the myth about diamond pricing in our home countries,” said Henry Osei, a metallurgist with the state-owned Precision Metals Marketing Company, Ghana and a participant in “Develop Africa.” “The clear understanding we now have of the link between rough and polished diamonds in the value chain will enable us to implement better pricing strategies.”
The Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) announced that the five diamond professionals from Sierra Leone, Ghana and Liberia were awarded certificates from the International Gemological Institute upon successful completion of the course. The DDE, which is the world’s first diamond bourse to provide such training, hosted the candidates during the two-week intensive professional training in the evaluation of rough and polished diamonds.
“Sustained development in the African diamond industry can only take place with the development of professional expertise among nationals in diamond-producing countries,” said Ahmed bin Sulayem, Deputy Chairman, DDE, and “’Develop Africa’ is representative of Dubai’s commitment to initiatives related to the African diamond industry, and DDE is pleased to take the first step in this direction with this training program,” he added.
The training program is a part of the “Develop Africa” initiative launched by the DDE to promote development in the diamond-producing countries of Africa.
Set up in coordination with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, “Develop Africa” aims to foster the development of human resources, set up the physical infrastructure required for the growth of the industry and encourage foreign direct investment in diamond-producing countries in Africa.
Mohamed Jabbie, a human-rights activist from Sierra Leone and participant in “Develop Africa,” said he would use the expertise he had gained to train local diamond miners in his country. Explaining that some diamond miners in his country are exploited by financiers who control the diamond trade, he said: “This program will enable my people to correctly evaluate what they have mined and will help protect them from any kind of exploitation.”
Noora Jamsheer, Chief Executive Officer of DDE, said: “The participants provided us with valuable feedback that will help us to improve the course further. We hope the training helps these countries to maximise the benefits from their natural resources and enables them to use the revenue generated from the diamond trade to support their country’s development. We are keen to make this training an ongoing initiative so that it reaches more diamond professionals across the globe.”
Established and regulated by Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority (DMCCA), the DDE is the world’s first diamond bourse to launch such a programme for the benefit of the African diamond mining industry. This training programme focused on developing the skills of the five candidates in the identification, evaluation and certification of diamonds.
About the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE):
The DDE is a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, enabling members access to international member exchanges. DDE capitalizes on the rapidly growing trade flow of diamonds through the region and was established with the primary objective of promoting regional trade and global accessibility for local, regional and international diamond marketing participants. DDE, a Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, and Dubai government initiative, rated 'A' by Standard & Poor's, promotes and strictly adheres to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. Its members represent global players from New York, Antwerp, South Africa, Mumbai, the UAE and other international centres.
About the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE):
The DDE is a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, enabling members access to international member exchanges. DDE capitalizes on the rapidly growing trade flow of diamonds through the region and was established with the primary objective of promoting regional trade and global accessibility for local, regional and international diamond marketing participants. DDE, a Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, and Dubai government initiative, rated 'A' by Standard & Poor's, promotes and strictly adheres to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. Its members represent global players from New York, Antwerp, South Africa, Mumbai, the UAE and other international centres.
