The UAE’s Kimberly Process Office and the Dubai Central Laboratory, a Dubai Municipality entity, have signed a strategic collaboration agreement to further strengthen technical expertise in the testing of rough diamonds entering the country.
The agreement was signed by Maryam Al Hashemi, UAE Kimberly Process Director and Director - Precious Metals and Stones, DMCC, and Eng. Amin Ahmed Mohammed, Director of Dubai Central Laboratory. The partnership complements existing policies, measures and mechanisms that safeguard the diamonds supply chain at a time of significant growth for the UAE’s diamond industry.
The function of the UAE Kimberly Process Office is to protect the legitimacy of the rough diamond trade. As such, any shipment of rough diamonds imported into the UAE must adhere to certain minimum requirements and undergo an inspection to ensure these standards are met by Kimberly Process officers.
“The UAE Kimberly Process Office is committed to transparency through the implementation of the very best international standards. Our collaboration with the Dubai Central Laboratory will boost trust and confidence in the trade of diamonds in the United Arab Emirates, and positively impact the diamond industry as a whole,” said Maryam Al Hashemi, UAE KP Director and Director - Precious Metals and Stones, DMCC.
The UAE has been a member of the Kimberly Process since 2002 and its Certification Scheme was implemented in 2003 by the Ministry of Economy, making the UAE the first Arab country to introduce the process. In 2016/2017, the UAE was the first Arab country to chair the Kimberly Process headed by Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC. The UAE’s Kimberly Process Office headquarters are located in the DMCC Free Zone in Almas Tower.
Eng. Amin Ahmed Mohammed, Director of Dubai Central Laboratory said: “We are pleased to sign this important agreement, which will combine and consolidate our knowledge, technical competencies and expertise to ensure that diamonds enter the United Arab Emirates in a systematic way. This collaboration is perfectly aligned with our mandate to guarantee that products entering the UAE meet specific requirements and are in line with regulations set forth by the Dubai Municipality. We look forward to working with the UAE’s Kimberly Process Office.”
In over two decades, Dubai’s diamond industry has grown into one of the largest in the world with over AED 92 billion (USD 25 billion) traded through the emirate in 2018 alone. Later this year, DMCC will host the fourth edition of its highly anticipated Dubai Diamond Conference (DDC) at the Almas Conference Centre. The one-day conference will gather over 400 global industry professionals to discuss the impact of technological innovation on the diamond industry, its supply chain and future prospects.
