Ghana pushes for incremental reform in Kimberley Process to address exploitation

Ghana has called for decisive action to strengthen the Kimberley Process, emphasising the need to protect vulnerable diamond communities and safeguard legitimate trade.

The Kimberley Process is an international certification scheme designed to prevent the trade of “conflict diamonds” used to finance armed conflicts.

Delivering a speech on behalf of the Republic of Ghana at the Kimberley Process Ministerial Meeting in Dubai, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, highlighted the evolving nature of conflict and the urgent need for reforms in the diamond trade.

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“For over two decades, the Kimberley Process has been a historic achievement, a collective effort to ensure that diamonds do not become instruments of conflict, war, and human suffering,” the Gold Board CEO said.

He noted, however, that conflict today extends beyond armed groups.

“Today, diamond communities may not hear gunfire, but they feel the violence of exploitation, dispossession, and exclusion. Sadly, necessary reforms in the diamond trade have stalled. While we debate, the world changes,” Sammy Gyamfi added.

The Ghana GoldBod CEO stressed that while consensus is central to the Kimberley Process, it should be a tool for progress rather than a reason for inaction.

“We may not find a perfect text that satisfies every delegation on every point. What we can and must do, however, is take steps, however modest, to strengthen the credibility, relevance, and moral authority of this Process,” he said.

Sammy Gyamfi urged participants to focus on areas of convergence and prioritise solutions that protect vulnerable populations while safeguarding legitimate trade.

“Let us not allow the quest for perfection to become the enemy of meaningful incremental reform. Let history record that this meeting chose renewal over stagnation, and cooperation over narrow interests, and that we moved forward, even if by small but significant steps,” he concluded.

The meeting, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, brought together ministers, delegates, and stakeholders from across the globe to discuss measures to improve the Kimberley Process and address the challenges facing the diamond trade in a changing world.

MA