Gov’t Strategies To Improve Diamond Trade in Kimberley Process

The Kimberley Process in Cameroon is managed by a National Permanent Secretariat placed under the auspices of the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development. Its Steering Committee headed by Minister Ernest Gbwaboubou held an extraordinary session in Yaounde, December 29, 2017.



The institution’s 2017 activity report was reviewed and a roadmap charted for 2018 with a budget of over FCFA 2.1 billion. A newly appointed executive bureau of the four-year old Permanent Secretariat was presented and urged to ensure the smooth implementation of the roadmap.



Daniel Mackaire Eloung Nna, Permanent Secretary of the Kimberley Process in Cameroon told reporters after the closed- door meeting that they have laid down strategies to ensure that the exploitation of diamond generates more income for the national treasury.



He said in order to reach the goal set in the extraordinary session, the secretariat will increase its activities on the ground, basically mapping out existing diamond production sites and carrying out research on potential ones.



Loung Nna also disclosed that geologists and other mining technicians would be schooled on the Kimberley Process and encouraged to make the exploitation of precious stones beneficial not only for the state, but also to people in communities involved in mining. “Citizens involved in artisanal mining are currently selling their precious stones at prices below their worth. We are laying emphasis on field work in 2018 to turn the tide,” he said pointing out that field visits will also help them curb transit through Cameroon of conflict diamonds from wartorn Central Africa Republic.



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