Staff Reporter
NAMIBIA is undergoing a Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) review to assess the country’s compliance with international requirements for controlling the rough diamond trade and preventing conflict diamonds from entering legitimate markets.
The review visit team, comprising delegates from Russia, India and other participating countries, is conducting an on-site assessment of Namibia’s internal controls, certification processes, production and trade statistics, and overall compliance with the KPCS requirements.
As part of the review, the team visited Namibia’s marine diamond operations, including recovery vessels used in offshore diamond mining, to observe the country’s production of marine rough diamonds and its offshore management systems.
Acting Executive Director Erasmus Shivolo welcomed the mission and said Namibia, as a founding participant in the Kimberley Process, continued to demonstrate supply-chain transparency, ethical resource management and technological innovation across its onshore and offshore diamond operations.
“Namibia continues to lead by example,” Shivolo said, highlighting the country’s commitment to transparent and conflict-free diamond governance.
Interim Team Chair Alexander Novikov said the review demonstrated the importance of peer assessment and international cooperation in promoting ethical resource management.
The Kimberley Process uses a peer-review system, primarily managed through the Working Group on Monitoring, to assess whether participating countries meet the minimum requirements for controlling the international trade in rough diamonds.
Review visits are routine on-site assessments that generally take place over about a working week and are conducted no more than once every five years. They examine internal controls, certification procedures, production and trade data, and other measures used to ensure compliance.
During a review, the visiting team may inspect mines, sorting facilities, customs points and other relevant sites, while reviewing documentation and systems and engaging with key stakeholders. A report is subsequently prepared and submitted through the Working Group on Monitoring and the Kimberley Process Chair.
Namibia joined the Kimberley Process as a founding participant in 2003 and has previously served as Vice-Chair in 2008 and Chair in 2009. The country remains active in several Kimberley Process working groups and continues to be a major producer of high-quality rough diamonds, particularly through marine and coastal mining operations.
The Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, through its Directorate of Diamond Affairs, serves as Namibia’s Kimberley Process Authority and is responsible for certification, inspections, licensing and reporting.
The review visit is scheduled to conclude on Friday, 9 October 2026.
Photo: Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy – MIME
