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The AWDC Annual Report 2014 is available online via this link. AWDC also printed a brochure that provides a brief overview of the Report. Copies are available at the AWDC reception desk.
The Kimberley Process (KP) suspended the Central African Republic (CAR) in May 2013, meaning that all countries are forbidden from importing rough diamonds from CAR.
Because the situation in certain parts of the country has seen considerable progress, it was decided in June 2015 during the KP Intersessional to grant CAR the opportunity to eventually start exporting rough diamonds from certain still to-be-determined areas. Before this may be allowed, CAR has to implement a detailed roadmap and the report from the Review Mission, which took place last spring, must be finalized.
Thus, for the time being, CAR remains suspended and it is not permitted to import rough diamonds from this country.
More information is available at the KP website.
On October 14, the Federation of Belgian Enterprises (VBO-FEB) will organize a lunch session with representatives of a Japanese trade mission. This trade mission is being organized by Keidanren, the Japan Business Federation, and will be spearheaded by Mr. Yoshio Sata, Chairman of the Board of Sumitomo Life Insurance Company. The business delegation will also include executives and experts from leading Japanese companies and banks, such as trading companies ITOCHU and Marubeni, the Bank of Tokyo and Nomura Bank.
The annual International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Congress was held in Antwerp for the first time from 7 to 9 September. An exclusive gala dinner, which AWDC sponsored, took place on 8 September in the Hilton Hotel. During the dinner we gave four Antwerp companies the opportunity to display their diamonds or jewelry. IGC Group, Eurotrade, Adin and Ajediam were the participating companies. The famous ECC diamond tennis racquet also made an appearance.
Russian diamond mining giant Alrosa staged an industry-specific session, “New Development Drivers of the Global Diamond Business in Asia Pacific”, during the East Russia Economic Forum (EREF) in Vladivostok on 3 September. Leading diamond and jewelry industry figures took part in a debate on the challenges facing the business.
Laurelton Diamonds Inc. will hold viewings of its next tender of rough and sawn goods at the Antwerp Diamond Tender Facility in Antwerp, Belgium. The tender will include a selection of white and cape rough parcels in sizes from +5cts to -7 in regular and high quality assortments totaling ~10,000cts. There will also be a range of white sawn kaps offered in parcels sized from +3gr to -5 in mixed qualities totaling ~11,000cts.
The Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair will take place from 16 to 20 September. This fair is still the largest in the world and is considered the most important meeting on the calendar. No less than 107 companies will be represented in the Antwerp Diamond Pavilion. New this year will be the organization of two Antwerp Diamond Power Sessions, scheduled for September 17 and 18, at the AWDC lounge, hall 5.
Over the past weeks there have been several successful, failed and foiled Active Killer (AK) incidents in the world, including the US and the EU.
Some of the latest examples:
- 26/08/2015 - US - Disgruntled employee shot and killed 2 people, after which he killed himself
- 21/08/2015 - France - Lone wolf terrorist tried to shoot people on board a Thalys train
Actie Shooters, Homicide-in-Progress, Mass Crowd Shooters... An AK is an individual or a group of persons (up to 4) who is/are actively engaged in killing or injuring as many people as possible in a confined and populated area, either for criminal or terrorist objectives.
"AMOK" is the code that police and security services use.
In most cases AKs use one or more firearms, knives and/or explosives, and choose their victims randomly.
Because AK incidents are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, before police arrive on the scene, individuals must be prepared mentally as well as physically to deal with an AK situation.
