Issues related directly to the World Diamond Council
While it may not have been immediately apparent during the tumultuous days in 2000, the structure of the WDC enabled the new organization to take a broader perspective than that required by its role within the KP, ensuring its relevance long after the civil wars that prompted the conflict diamond crisis eventually drew to a close.
February 21, 2023, marked 16 months since the official launch of the World Diamond Council’s revised System of Warranties (SoW), in 2021 on the 40th anniversary of the establishment by the United Nations of the International Day of Peace.
What left its indelible mark on 2022 was the war in Ukraine, which had begun on February 24, when coincidentally the leadership of the WDC was gathered together in Dubai, where the Board of Directors had met just three days earlier.
Attendees at the AGM received reports from WDC President Edward Asscher, WDC Executive Director Elodie Daguzan and WDC Treasurer Ronnie VanderLinden. The keynote address, which considered the current state of the diamond market, was delivered by industry analyst, Edahn Golan.
We may well be approaching a tipping point. If there ever was a time to take control over your destiny, rather than being carried along by the tide, it is now. With a global economic recession looming and geopolitical instability, I urge colleagues among our industry’s younger generation to help us preserve the integrity of natural diamonds, as an ethical product that is the economic driver for economies and societies across the globe.
Edward Asscher, President of the World Diamond Council, addressed the Presidents’ Meeting of the World Federation of the Diamond Bourses (WDDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) at the Dubai Multi-Commodities Center (DMCC) in Dubai on February 24, 2022.
Highlighting the proven ability of natural diamond resources to serve as a driver for the development of sustainable economies and societies, World Diamond Council President Edward Asscher warned that this potential is threatened if the Kimberley Process doesn’t evolve to address the challenges of today. He was speaking during the opening day of the KP Intersessional, which is taking place in the town of Kasane in Botswana.
The World Diamond Council (WDC) mourns the untimely loss of Sanjay Shah, a serving member of its Board of Directors, who passed away in New York on April 29, 2022.
Edward Asscher, President of the World Diamond Council, addressed the Presidents’ Meeting of the World Federation of the Diamond Bourses (WDDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) at the Dubai Multi-Commodities Center (DMCC) in Dubai on February 24, 2022.
Vinod Kuriyan of the Rapaport news service, interviews Edward Asscher, President of the World Diamond Council, during the Dubai Diamond Conference on February 23, 2022.
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