The Plenary of the Kimberley Process, which took place from 8 – 12 November in Moscow, voted to accept the State of Qatar as a new member. Qatar was represented by a delegation headed by H.E. Ahmad Al-Sayed, Minister of State and Chairman of QFZA.
The unanimous vote by the KP Plenary followed the recommendations of the KP’s Committee on Participation and Chairmanship (CPC). The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) – a joint government, industry and civil society UN initiative which imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’ and prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate trade. In line with KPCS requirements, Qatar Free Zones will oversee all infrastructure, process and procedures to receive shipments of rough diamonds to and from Qatar and in coordination with the concerned entities.
H.E. Ahmad Al-Sayed, Minister of State and Chairman of QFZA, said: “We would like to thank all who participated in preparing Qatar’s application. This step reflects confidence in Qatar’s legal and regulatory system and efforts and its global reputation. We are delighted to join a global community of partners committed to removing conflict diamonds from the global supply chain. QFZA will establish a new Diamond Center that will serve as a cornerstone for the growth and development of an extremely high-potential, long-term gem and jewelry trading industry in the region.”
H.E. Ahmad Al-Sayed met with H.E. Ernesto Max Elias Tonela, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy of the Republic of Mozambique, H.E. Alexei Moiseev, Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation and KP Chair, Jacob Thamage, Director of the Botswana Diamond Hub, Andrey Yurin, Head of Gokhran of Russia, and Peter Karakchiev, CRP Head, in addition to other delegates.
As a KPCS member, Qatar will actively contribute to the global efforts aimed towards the elimination of illicit rough diamond trading and develop broader economic ties with gem producing nations, as well as with end markets in the region and around the world. QFZA will establish an ecosystem to supervise the Kimberly process to meet local, regional and global needs for diamond and – over the longer term – additional gem and jewelry storage and trading.
The Cabinet approved Qatar’s KP membership during its ordinary meeting on the 3rd of November 2021.
Qatar Free Zones continue to play a pivotal role in the development of the business ecosystem in Qatar – localizing supply chains, embracing innovation in various sectors, and offering world-class services to companies.
