(Rapaport…July 3, 2002) The Botswana Embassy in Brussels hosted a roundtable on July 1 on how the Kimberley Process can improve consumer confidence in diamonds and ensure continued economic development in African countries. The discussion aimed to further address elements needed to create a clean and transparent global trading system within the framework laid down at the Kimberley talks held in Ottawa, Canada in March.
Attendees included World Diamond Council Chairman Eli Izhakoff; The director of public and corporate affairs for De Beers, Rory O’Ferrall; South African Ambassador, J.H. Matjila; Namibian Ambassador, Zedekia Ngavirje; representatives of the European Parliament, Global Witness; and the European Commission involved in the Kimberley Process.