Sierra Leone’s Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Musa Timothy Kabba was on 23 March 2023, elected as Vice President of the Association of African Diamond Producing Countries (ADPA) at the 8th Extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

According to the report, Timothy Kabba’s election happened as a result of Sierra Leone’s strict compliance with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for its diamonds and for the reforms the Minister has introduced in the mining sector.

Meanwhile, the 8th Ordinary Meeting of the African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) Committee of Experts and Council of Ministers 2023 was officially opened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria Falls.

President Mnangagwa implored African diamond-producing countries to stop exporting unpolished diamonds; underscoring that the continent must begin consolidating its footprint in the global diamond industry.

He said greater information sharing among member States of the African Diamond Producing Countries Association should progressively result in having a louder and more effective voice in the affairs of the global diamond mining sector.

He continued that the exportation of raw diamonds is a misnomer, especially because Africa produces about 60 per cent of the world’s diamonds. African diamond-producing countries should now increase beneficiation and value chain development so that their countries become major producers of diamond jewellery and other accessories.

However, Zimbabwe officially assumed the chairmanship of the 19-member African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA), taking over from Tanzania.

The two-day ADPA meeting started with closed-door sessions of technocrats from the global diamond mining industry.

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Winston Chitando, who is the incoming ADPA Chair and his Tanzanian counterpart, Doto Biteko, who is Minister of Minerals and ADPA outgoing chair, were in attendance. Minister Chitando assumed the top role at the ADPA 8th Ordinary Meeting of Experts.

Elected also as Vice President of the Association was Sierra Leone’s Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Timothy Kabba.