WDC President at Dubai Diamond Conference

WDC President Highlights 

Successes and Challenges to the Industry 

and Kimberley Process 

at Dubai Diamond Conference

Edwaed Asscher in a photo by http://www.duynsteepolak.nl

Edward Asscher, president of the World Diamond Council (WDC), was an opening session speaker at the Dubai Diamond Conference held on April 21 and 22, 2015 at the Almas Tower, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE.

The list of speakers included the former president of the European Union, Herman Van Rompuy and the Kimberley Process 2015 Chair, Mr. Bernardo Campos of Angola, among other illustrious speakers.

In his speech, Mr. Asscher explained the ‘tri-partite’ composition of the Kimberley Process (KP), whose members and observers include the governments and agencies of diamond producing and trading countries, representatives of NGO’s, collectively known as the ‘Civil Society Coalition’, and the WDC, which is representative of all sectors of the diamond industry. He also stated that the industry could be proud that “the largest majority of diamond companies are totally compliant and transparent.”

Mr. Asscher also spoke of the challenges to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, including the need to focus on a ‘level playing field’ of KP rules and procedures in order to avoid diamonds entering the market through the weakest link in the diamond pipeline.

The tasks of the KP are accomplished through the work of the various KP committees, including the Working Group on Monitoring, the Working Group on Statistics, and the Working Group of Diamond Experts. The WDC has representation on all committees of the KP.

In conclusion, Mr. Asscher said: “... the industry is in good shape and we can be proud of it and its participants. There are a few exceptions and as an industry we should purge those who tarnish our image. But those are the exceptions in an otherwise fantastic industry with a brilliant future.”

About the World Diamond Council
The primary objective of the WDC is to represent the diamond industry in the development and implementation of the regulatory and voluntary systems to control the trade in diamonds embargoed by the United Nations or covered by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. 

Visit:   http://www.worlddiamondcouncil.org  to learn more.