GJEPC Signs Historic Luanda Accord that Commits 1% of Rough Sales Revenue to Global Natural Diamond Marketing

Pic 1, 2 & 3: (Extreme left) Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, along with the rest of the Luanda Accord signatories.

GJEPC Signs Historic Luanda Accord that Commits 1% of Rough Sales Revenue to Global Natural Diamond Marketing

19^th June 2025 (GNI): In a watershed step to boost consumer demand for natural diamonds, GJEPC joined top diamond-producing nations and industry bodies in signing the Luanda Accord on 18th June 2025. The signatories—including mining ministers of Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and DRC, in collaboration with GJEPC, AWDC, DMCC and De Beers—pledged to contribute 1% of annual rough diamond revenues to fund a global marketing campaign spearheaded by the Natural Diamond Council (NDC). 

The Luanda Accord signatories include:

H.E. Diamantino Azevedo

The Government of the Republic of Angola

Honourable Bogolo Joy Kenewendo

The Government of the Republic of Botswana

Honourable Kizito Pakabomba Kapinga Mulune

Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo

      

Honourable Gaudentia Krohne

Government of the Republic of Namibia

Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman

Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council

Al Cook, Chief Executive Officer

De Beers Group

Honourable Gwede Mantashe

Government of the Republic of South Africa

Isidore Mörsel, President 

Antwerp World Diamond Centre

Maryam Al Hashemi

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre

Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, said, “The Luanda Accord marks a fundament shift in the way our industry comes together to protect and promote the future of natural diamonds. As the world’s largest diamond manufacturing centre, India is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with African producer nations and global partners. A unified global marketing push is no longer optional—it’s essential. GJEPC remains deeply committed to this shared vision and is ready to contribute actively to the next chapter of sustainable growth for our industry.”

Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo, passionately advocated for a unified narrative to elevate natural diamonds, stating, “One carat, one community, and one life changed… We need to move from fragmented messages to united storytelling. Africa must lead a global strategy to market diamonds. We will be the real storytellers who connect diamonds with consumers.”

DRC’s Minister of Mines, Kizito Pakabomba Kapinga Mulume, voiced strong support for a globally coordinated marketing effort, noting its importance in building trust and confidence among consumers—especially younger buyers.

The Deputy Minister of Namibia, Gaudentia Khrone, echoed this sentiment, stressing the need for “ethical marketing and clarity of messaging.” She affirmed that Namibia supports the movement towards a united diamond world, especially in the collective promotion of natural diamonds.

The joint initiative aims to reshape consumer perception and ensure a sustainable future for natural diamonds through collaborative, industry-wide action.

The full text of the Luanda Accord follows:

The Luanda Accord

Luanda, 18 June 2025

We, the undersigned representatives of diamond-producing governments and industry stakeholders, convened in Luanda on 18 June 2025 with a shared commitment to support a bright future for the natural diamond industry and the communities whose lives and livelihoods depend upon it.

We acknowledge the profound importance of the natural diamond industry as a driver of economic opportunity, employment, and sustainable development across Africa and other producer regions. The sector plays a critical role in uplifting local communities, supporting national development goals, and contributing meaningfully to public revenues and infrastructure.

We recognise the challenges facing the natural diamond industry today, including macroeconomic factors and shifting consumer preferences. These challenges require industry-wide action that harnesses the capabilities of the full diamond value chain — from producer governments and miners to manufacturers, traders and retailers.

We affirm our common understanding that effective action is urgently required to build and sustain consumer demand for natural diamonds. We commit to working together to help ensure that a new generation of consumers is not only aware of the rarity and natural beauty of diamonds, but also of the positive impact they have made — and continue to make — in communities and producer nations across the globe.

As such, we the undersigned agree that marketing is a fundamental pillar of the natural diamond industry’s future. We jointly resolve to exclusively promote natural diamonds through a global, generic marketing effort focused on key consumer regions. This effort must be informed by a shared vision, shaped by inclusive governance, and backed by sufficient and sustained resources.

We acknowledge the valuable work already undertaken, including by the Natural Diamond Council, through previous generic marketing activity and agree that further funding is essential to build upon this foundational work. A more robust strategy must be developed with urgency and executed swiftly by the Natural Diamond Council to support the peak sales season of 2025 and beyond. 

To this end, the undersigned producer governments, producer companies and industry intend to contribute the equivalent to 1% of the annual revenues generated from rough diamond sales to this initiative. It is for individual governments to determine with industry the arrangements for implementation of this contribution. 

All contributions will be directed to the Natural Diamond Council, which shall be tasked with overseeing and executing the global generic marketing strategy. The mechanics of effecting contributions will be determined in due course and will be subject to prior legal review. The governance of the Natural Diamond Council will be reviewed to ensure it reflects the contributions of its members. The contributions and the outcomes of the marketing initiatives will be assessed at least annually by the members of the Natural Diamond Council. 

We also recognize that the success of this initiative relies not only on government contributions but also on the active participation of stakeholders across the diamond value chain. We therefore call upon miners, manufacturers, traders, retailers and other industry actors to engage in, and meaningfully contribute to, the success of this endeavor, which is essential to help secure a brilliant future for natural diamonds.

Together, through a shared vision, mutual support, and decisive action, we commit to preserving and enhancing the legacy and promise of natural diamonds for generations to come.

Signed on this 18th day of June, 2025