KP Chair Holds Meeting With Armenia President on Diamond Issues

(IDEX Online) – The Kimberley Process (KP) Chair, Ahmed Bin Sulayem of the UAE, has visited Armenia for talks with the country's President, Serzh Sargsyan.

The talks follow those he has held with leaders of African countries and the Russian Federation. Bin Sulayem also delivered an address to CIBJO's annual Congress on October 26.

Armenia has been a member of the KP since 2003 and the diamond industry is a significant part of the country’s manufacturing sector, employing an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 workers, and also has a vibrant jewelry-making sector.

“For decades Armenia’s precious metals sectors have been renowned for their high quality and prestige, and as one of the earliest members of the KP, the country has played a key role in strengthening the global initiative over the years,” said Bin Sulayem. “I was privileged to meet President Sargsyan and discuss with him Armenia’s evolving diamond industry, as well as how it can continue to play a deeper role within the KP. Over the past year, we have worked to engage numerous KP participants because we strongly believe that there is more that can be done to increase the vitality of this initiative, so that it can deliver greater value to everyone involved.”

In addition to discussing strengthening cooperation under the KP framework, they also discussed the potential growth in bilateral projects between Armenia and the UAE. With diamonds accounting for 7.1% of the country’s exports and 3.4% of its imports in 2014, both parties agreed that Armenia continues to have a vital stake in ensuring the robustness of the KP and covered recent initiatives proposed by the KP Chair including the formation of a Permanent Secretariat in the UN.

Bin Sulayem’s address at the CIBJO Congress spoke about the importance of Armenia in the diamond industry and the important role it plays in supporting the KP’s mandate.