A Sierra Leone delegation is participating in the Kimberley Process Intercessional Meetings 2026 in Mumbai, India, where discussions are focused on the future of the international diamond industry amid market disruption from lab-grown alternatives.

Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources Umaru Nopoleon Koroma, serving as Chair of the African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) and head of the Sierra Leone delegation, opened proceedings with a pre-meeting session on Sunday, May 10, 2026. The session brought together diamond-producing nations to harmonize positions on challenges across the mining, trading, and retailing sectors.

During the plenary session on Monday, May 11, Koroma delivered a keynote statement calling for renewed global cooperation to protect and sustain the natural diamond industry. He noted that while technological innovation has driven the rise of lab-grown diamonds, millions of livelihoods across Africa remain dependent on natural diamond mining.

Delegates highlighted that diamond extraction continues to support services including education, healthcare, and household income in mining communities in Sierra Leone and other African countries. They stated that disruptions to the natural diamond trade would have direct economic and social consequences for these communities.

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Koroma affirmed support for India’s chairmanship and endorsed the intercessional theme, “Confidence, Credibility, and Compliance.” He said the theme is essential for restoring global trust in the diamond supply chain and ensuring transparent sourcing and trade practices.

He also emphasized the need for balanced global policies that protect producing countries while maintaining the ethical standards of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, established to exclude conflict diamonds from the international market.

The Mumbai meetings are continuing with working group sessions on traceability, market integrity, and emerging industry threats. A final communiqué is expected to outline a roadmap for strengthening the Kimberley Process and supporting the long-term sustainability of natural diamonds.

For Sierra Leone, officials said the engagement reflects the economic importance of the sector, noting that policy decisions made at the meetings affect livelihoods in domestic mining communities.