Ghana has urged member states of the Kimberley Process (KP) to prioritize meaningful reforms that reflect the changing realities of the global diamond trade.
The call was made by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Sammy Gyamfi, during the 2025 Kimberley Process Ministerial Meeting held in Dubai on November 20, 2025.
Addressing ministers, diplomats and delegates from participating countries, the CEO of the Ghana Gold Board, emphasized that although the Kimberley Process has been instrumental for more than two decades in preventing diamonds from fueling conflict, the nature of conflict has evolved beyond traditional armed confrontations.
He noted that while many diamond-producing communities may no longer hear gunfire, they continue to experience the violence of exploitation, dispossession and exclusion, warning that these silent forms of suffering should not be ignored. “This cannot be the legacy of the Kimberley Process,” he stressed.
Sammy Gyamfi expressed concern that critical reforms within the KP have stalled despite the rapidly changing dynamics of the diamond trade.
The GoldBod CEO cautioned that the rising moral cost of inaction threatens the integrity and relevance of the certification scheme.
Commenting on the ongoing debate over revising the definition of conflict diamonds, he acknowledged that the various proposals put forth reflect the shared commitment of member states to respond to modern challenges.
Ghana, he said, recognizes the legitimacy of all perspectives but emphasized the need for collective will to achieve progress.
“Consensus is at the heart of the Kimberley Process,” he noted, “but consensus must be a path to progress and not a recipe for paralysis.” He encouraged delegates to focus on common ground rather than disagreements, stressing that no single proposal would satisfy every country fully.
He appealed to member states not to allow the pursuit of perfection to hinder incremental but meaningful reforms. “Let history record that this meeting chose renewal over stagnation and cooperation over narrow interest, and that we moved forward, even if by small but significant steps,” he said.
The CEO reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to work with all partners to strengthen the credibility, moral authority and global impact of the Kimberley Process, especially in protecting vulnerable mining communities and ensuring a fair and legitimate diamond trade.