Sammy Gyamfi advocates stronger protections for vulnerable diamond communities

Ghana’s Gold Board (Goldbod) Chief Executive, Sammy Gyamfi, has urged Kimberley Process (KP) participants to pursue reforms that prioritise vulnerable diamond communities while safeguarding legitimate trade.

Addressing the KP Ministerial Meeting in Dubai on Thursday, Gyamfi warned that the global diamond landscape has changed significantly, stressing that communities now face exploitation and exclusion even in the absence of armed conflict.

“Conflict is no longer confined to rebel armies in the bush,” he said, adding that many communities “may not hear gunfire, but they feel the violence of exploitation, dispossession and exclusion.”

Gyamfi said the Kimberley Process faced a critical test of relevance, as reforms have stalled despite growing threats to the integrity of the diamond supply chain.

“While we debate, the world changes,” he noted, warning that the moral cost of inaction was rising.

He emphasised that the scars of past conflicts still linger in mining communities, making it urgent for the KP to strengthen its oversight role.

He stressed that ongoing discussions on redefining “conflict diamonds” show a shared desire among member states to address modern challenges.

“Ghana recognises the legitimacy of the concerns, perspectives, and aspirations embedded in each proposal,” he said. “What matters now is our collective willingness to find common ground and to act decisively.”

Gyamfi commended the KP’s tradition of consensus but insisted it must serve progress rather than delay.

“Consensus must be a path to progress and not a recipe for paralysis,” he stated. He acknowledged that not every delegation would be fully satisfied with proposed texts, but insisted that incremental steps were necessary to maintain the Process’s credibility and moral authority.

He urged participants to focus on areas of convergence rather than entrenched differences. “Let us listen carefully to one another and pursue solutions that protect vulnerable populations while safeguarding legitimate trade,” he said.

Gyamfi called for unity and renewed purpose, encouraging members to prioritise practical reforms over ideal but unattainable outcomes. “Let history record that this meeting chose renewal over stagnation and cooperation over narrow interest,” he said, reaffirming Ghana’s readiness to support collective progress.

He expressed confidence that even modest steps would strengthen the Kimberley Process and help protect communities whose livelihoods depend on a transparent and responsible diamond trade.

The Kimberley Process was created in 2003 in response to brutal civil wars in countries such as Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where rebel groups funded their activities by selling diamonds on the global market.

Its central aim is to ensure that rough diamonds entering the international market are conflict-free. To achieve this, member countries follow strict requirements, including certifying that every rough diamond shipment is conflict-free and using tamper-proof packaging and government-validated certificates.