Alrosa, along with the African Diamond Producers Association, is working on establishing a unified standard for responsible diamond mining. This initiative was announced by Pyotr Karakchiev, the Head of Alrosa's International Cooperation Department, during the conference "Responsibility of Global Leaders in Mineral Resources Reserves and Extraction for Sustainable Development of the Global Economy" at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
"Russia became an observer in the organization in 2023 during Zimbabwe's chairmanship, thanks to the support of African countries. Now, we are collaboratively developing a common standard for responsible diamond mining. It is crucial that both Russian and African diamonds enter the global markets based on unified standards and harmonization of mining requirements and promotion methods in international markets," Karakchiev highlighted.
He further clarified that the unified standard will encompass topics such as labor rights, industrial safety, environmental preservation, and social responsibility.
"Our collaboration with Africa is mutual and incredibly significant. This has been demonstrated by recent developments within the Kimberley Process organization. Western entities have been attempting for three years to impose sanctions against Russian diamonds. However, the principled and firm stance of our African partners in this organization has prevented them from succeeding," added the Head of Alrosa's department.
On June 9, Alrosa completed the sale of its stake in the Angolan Catoca project, transferring ownership to the Omani company Taadeen. According to the company's website, Angolan company Endiama now holds 59% of the project's shares, while Taadeen owns 41%. Previously, Alrosa owned the 41% stake.
The SPIEF is taking place from June 18 to 21, focusing on the theme "Common Values as the Foundation for Growth in a Multipolar World."
Anna Bespalova
