Luanda:The 13th Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the African Diamond Producing Countries Association (ADPA) is set to take place on Wednesday in Luanda. This event is part of the celebrations marking the organization's 20th anniversary, which will occur from the 2nd to the 4th of this month.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the meeting will be chaired by Julius Daniel Mattai, the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources of Sierra Leone and President of the ADPA Council of Ministers. The gathering is expected to conclude with the presentation of the organization's Strategic Declaration for the next 20 years.
The celebrations are themed "20 Years Empowering the Brilliance of African Diamonds - One Vision, One Voice" and will gather ministers, senior government officials, technical experts, and leaders from the global diamond industry. The aim is to commemorate two decades of cooperation and set strategic guidelines for the future of the African diamond sector.
The program includes a reception for participating delegations on Monday, featuring a guided tour of Luanda's historical landmarks and the new facilities of the ADPA Executive Headquarters in the CIF Luanda 2 Building. On Tuesday, the 13th Extraordinary Meeting of the Committee of Experts is scheduled, along with two strategically relevant working sessions.
Topics to be discussed include lessons learned from the application of the ADPA Sustainable Diamonds Standard (SDS) and the reaffirmation of the Common Position of member countries on the protection and integrity of natural diamonds in the international market. The celebrations will peak on Wednesday, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Luanda Declaration in 2006, which established the organization.
The event will also feature a Solemn Anniversary Ceremony and a Gala Dinner, where individuals who have significantly contributed to the association's history will be honored. Over the past two decades, ADPA has positioned itself as a platform representing African diamond-producing countries, focusing on local value creation, sustainability in the supply chain, and defending the interests of its 22 member states in the international market.
