Stefanus Nashama
Tom Alweendo, the Minister of Mines and Energy, has called upon the G7 member states to reconsider their decision regarding measures to restrict the sale of Russian diamonds.
He urged them to engage with all diamond-producing countries to discuss the specifics of the proposed measures and their potential impact on economies and people’s livelihoods.
“We are deeply concerned about the potential consequences of these restrictive measures, as it is our understanding that all diamonds, whether rough, cut, or polished, entering the G7 and EU will be subject to verification through a ‘single node’ in Antwerp,” the Minister said.
According to Alweendo, in May of this year, the G7 announced its intention to consider measures to limit the sale of Russian diamonds and engage with key partners for effective implementation.
He added that this month, the G7 released its third statement on these proposed measures without involving stakeholders from the diamond-producing countries.
The Minister pointed out a key part of the G7 statement, which reads, “We will introduce import restrictions on non-industrial diamonds, mined, processed, or produced in Russia, by 1 January 2024, followed by further phased restrictions on the import of Russian diamonds processed in third countries targeting 1 March 2024.”
Alweendo believes that this approach will have a detrimental impact on the socio-economic growth of African diamond-producing countries, including Namibia.
He argued that the G7’s proposal of a single node would add additional regulatory layers, potentially leading to blockages and delays, resulting in increased costs.
Alweendo emphasized that this would harm Namibia’s competitiveness in the diamond industry.
Furthermore, the Minister expressed doubts about the G7’s proposal, asserting that it could undermine the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and render it irrelevant.
“This would mean that the certification issued in Antwerp could effectively nullify our ability to authenticate our diamonds as non-Russian in origin,” he stated.
Alweendo also highlighted that such a proposal undermines Namibia’s sovereign right to manage the trade of its diamonds, a right that he believes is in the best interest of the local population.
