African Diamond Conference | Program

4:45 PM
Shuttle service from Brussels to dinner venue

6:30 PM
Antwerp Diamond Gala

Venue: AED Studio's, Barco Virtual World
Address: Fabrieksstraat 38 - Lint, Belgium

In the presence of Mr. Thabo Mbeki, former President of South Africa

10:00 & 11:00 PM
Shuttle service back to Brussels

Dresscode: black tie / national dress

Venue: Egmont Palace, Brussels - Europe Room
Address: Kleine Zavel 8, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

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In the presence of:

Hon. Advocate Sadique Kebonang
Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security of Botswana

Hon. Ernest Ngwaboubou
Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development of Cameroon

Hon. Leopold Mboli Fatran
Minister of Mines, Energy and Hydraulics of the Central African Republic

Hon. Jean-Claude Brou
Minister of Industry and Mines of Côte d’Ivoire

Hon. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi
Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources of Ghana

Hon. Abdoulaye Magassouba
Minister of Mines and Geology of the Republic of Guinea

Hon. Keketso Sello
Minister of Mining of the Kingdom of Lesotho

Hon. Kornelia Shilunga
Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy of Namibia

Hon. Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray
Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources of Sierra Leone

Hon. Godfrey Oliphant
Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources of South Africa

Hon. Walter Chidakwa
Minister of Mines and Mining Development of Zimbabwe

Program

8:00 – 8:45 AM  

Registration & Welcoming coffee (Atrium room)

9:00 – 9:30 AM  | Introduction

• Welcome by Mr. Stephane Fischler, President of Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC)
   
• Keynote by H.E. Didier Reynders, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs
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• Keynote by Hon. Godfrey Oliphant, Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources of South Africa
   
• Intro “Setting the scene”, by Mr. Des Kilalea, Analyst at Canaccord Genuity London
   

9:30 – 11:00 AM | Session 1: Natural resources management

"Leveraging diamonds for economic development"

Natural resources are unique assets that, when exploited properly, can generate significant economic benefits for nations. How can countries leverage their diamond deposits to contribute to economic development and welfare? What policies are available and what has been the impact of these policies in the past decade?

• Strategies for the sustainable use of natural capital
• Role and responsibility of the government in the different stages of the value chain
• Natural resource taxation policy
• Developing a successful beneficiation policy
• Artisanal versus industrial mining as engine for growth
• Impact of diamond mining on local communities and the environment

Keynote speakers:

• Hon. Kornelia Shilunga, Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy of Namibia
• Hon. Walter Chidakwa, Minister of Mines and Mining Development of Zimbabwe
• Mr. Neo Daniel Moroka, Resident Director of De Beers Botswana
• Mr. Paulo M'Vika, Board Member of Endiama (Angola)

Panel discussion

Moderated by Mrs. Marie-Chantal Kaninda, Executive Director of the World Diamond Council (WDC)

Panel members:

• Hon. Angellah Mbelwa Kairuki, Minister of Energy and Minerals of Tanzania (TBC)
• Ms. Pat Dambe-Hansen, Vice President Corporate Affairs & Government Relations, De Beers Global Sightholder Sales & De Beers Group of Companies
• Mr. Maurice Miema, Head of the Certification Department at CEEC, DR Congo
• Mr. Roman Grynberg, Professor Economics & Management Sciences at the University of Namiba
• Ms. Jane Korinek, Economist and Trade Analyst at Trade and Agriculture Directorate of OECD
• Mrs. Dorothée Gizenga, Executive Director of Diamond Development Initiative (DDI)

11:00 – 11:30 AM | Coffee Break (Atrium room)

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM | Session 2: Rough diamonds: Marketing a responsible supply chain

"Maximizing the value of a responsibly sourced diamond"

In today’s consumer landscape, regardless of the product, transparency of the value chain from origin to retail is paramount. The diamond trade has long been at the forefront of the movement to secure a responsible supply chain, but this is just one side of the equation. Responsible sourcing only fulfils its goal when it impacts both ends of the value chain - and this means delivering the message to consumers. This session will address key issues and tackle difficult questions: What is the best way to secure responsible sourcing of rough diamonds? How to link best practices and profitability? How to market these efforts to end consumers? And what is the role of category marketing?

Topics will include:

• The benefits and challenges of industry self-regulation
• Strategies for promoting sustainability and supply chain transparency
• The impact of a responsible supply chain on profit margins
• The importance of diamond consumer marketing
• Rough diamond distribution & maximizing value: tenders, auctions and contracted buyers
• Best practices of rough diamond valuation mechanisms

Keynote speakers:

• Hon. Advocate Sadique Kebonang, Minister of Minerals, Green Technology and Energy Security of Botswana
• Hon. Jean-Claude Brou, Minister of Industry and Mines of Côte d’Ivoire
• Mr. Sergey Ivanov, President of ALROSA (Russia)
• Mr. Jean-Marc Lieberherr, CEO of Diamond Producers Association (DPA)

Panel discussion

Moderated by Mr. Thomas Biesheuvel, Bloomberg News Reporter (UK)

Panel members:

• Hon. Leopold Mboli Fatran, Minister of Mines, Energy and Hydraulics of the Central African Republic
• Mr. Peter Karakchiev, Head of International Relations Department at Alrosa
• Mr. Jean-Marc Lieberherr, CEO of Diamond Producers Association (DPA)
• Mr. Johan Erikson, CEO of First Element
• Mr. Adam Schulman, CEO of KOIN International
• Mr. Paul Zimnisky, Independent analyst and consultant
• Mr. Marcel Pruwer, Managing Director of International Economic Strategy & Consultant to Antwerpsche Diamantkring
   

1:00 - 2:30 PM | Walking Lunch (Mirror room)

2:30 - 2:45 PM | Kimberley Process Session

Keynote speakers:

• Keynote by Mr. Robert Owen-Jones, Kimberley Process Chair & Assistant Secretary, Australian Competitiveness Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
• Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Deputy Minister of Mines in Ghana
• Keynote by Mrs. Hilde Hardeman, Head of the European Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI); Kimberley Process Vice-Chair

2:45 - 4:45 PM | Session 3: Synthetic diamonds

"The battle for a new generation: the potential impact of synthetic diamonds on African diamond-producing countries"

Synthetic diamond production is growing more mature and efficient. Consumers have only recently been confronted with synthetic diamonds. In short, from its very low base, production and demand are expected to grow. How will this impact diamond producing countries? What are the best strategies to neutralize any potential impact for the natural diamond market? And what is the best way to maintain consumer confidence given the risk for supply-chain contamination?

Presentation of the results of an international study on the potential impact of synthetic diamonds

• Setting the landscape & Defining the parameters: production, prices, demand, detection, etc.

By Mrs. Parul Merchant, Synthetics Specialist at Bonas Diamond Brokers & Consultants (India)

• Potential impact Implications of synthetic diamonds for the natural diamond industry in Africa

By Mr. Koen Vandenbempt, Professor of Strategy at University of Antwerp (Belgium)

Keynote Speaker:

• Mr. Ernest Blom, President of World Federation of Diamond Bourses and Chairman of Diamond Dealers Club of South Africa

Panel: Discussion of the key findings of the study & recommendations

• Potential impact on the local economy and labor markets in diamond-producing countries
• Strategies to address the rising trend of synthetic diamonds
• Developing a new narrative: selling the story of natural diamonds
• What should we do (create confidence, detection and disclosure, cooperation) and who should do it?

Moderated by Mr. Edahn Golan, Diamond Industry Analyst
 

Panel members:

• Mr. Didier Backaert, Synthetics specialist at Bonas Diamond Brokers & Consultants (Belgium)
• Mrs. Sally Morrison, Independent marketing consultant
• Mr. Shreyance Shah, President of Flawless Allure (India)
• Mr. Edgar de Carvalho, Executive Secretary of African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA)
• Mr. Koen Vandenbempt, Professor of Strategy at University of Antwerp (Belgium)
• Mr. Shamiso Mtisi, Head of Programmes at Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA)

Keynote speakers:

• Hon. Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray, Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources of Sierra Leone
• Hon. Keketso Sello, Minister of Mining of Lesotho

4:45 – 5:15 PM | Closing Remarks

• Hon. Ernest Ngwaboubou, Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development of Cameroon
• Hon. Abdoulaye Magassouba, Minister of Mines and Geology of Guinea & President of the African Diamond Producers Association
• Closing remarks by H.E. Alexander de Croo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation

5:15 – 6:30 PM | Closing Reception (Mirror room)

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All seminars will be held in plenary session.
The conference will be held in English, but simultaneous translation in French and Portuguese will be provided.