Ghana has made a clarion call for renewed commitment and incremental reforms within the global diamond trade, urging members of the Kimberley Process (KP) to modernise the definition of conflict diamonds and respond to the evolving challenges facing diamond-producing communities.

Delivering Ghana’s statement at the Kimberley Process Ministerial Meeting in Dubai, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD), Sammy Gyamfi, emphasised that while the KP remained one of the world’s most successful multilateral mechanisms, its mandate risked losing relevance if reforms continued to stall.

He noted that although overt armed conflict in diamond-producing regions had reduced over the years, many communities still endured “the violence of exploitation, dispossession and exclusion,” stressing that conflict today had taken new forms beyond the traditional battlefield.

According to him, the various proposals before the KP on redefining “conflict diamonds” reflected the shared desire of member states to protect vulnerable populations and sustain the credibility of the global certification system. What was required now, he said, was decisive collective action.

“Consensus is at the heart of the Kimberley Process,” he stated, “but consensus must be a path to progress, not a recipe for paralysis.” He warned that the continued inability to agree on reforms risked diminishing the moral authority and relevance of the KP.

Calling for a pragmatic approach, the CEO urged participating countries to focus on common ground, listen to one another, and pursue reforms — however modest — that strengthened the integrity of the diamond supply chain while safeguarding legitimate trade.

He appealed to delegates not to let “the quest for perfection become the enemy of meaningful incremental reform,” adding that history must record that this meeting chose renewal and cooperation over stagnation and narrow interests.

Ghana reaffirmed its readiness to work with all member states to ensure that the Kimberley Process continued to evolve in a way that protects communities, promotes ethical trade, and responds to modern challenges in the diamond industry.