Sitharaman meets Kimberley Process Chairman

Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today met Kimberley Process chairman Ahmed Bin Sulayem and discussed various initiatives, including valuation of rough diamonds, and challenges facing the industry.
Kimberley Process (KP) is a joint initiative of the governments, industry and civil societies to stem flow of 'conflict diamonds' - the rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments.
The meeting assumes significance as India will assume the Vice-Chair for KP in 2018 and the position of Chair in 2019.
The discussions between the two "centred around the initiatives taken by the KP Chair like valuation of rough diamonds, preparing for challenges that industry faces from synthetics and upcoming KP Plenary in November at Dubai," the Commerce Ministry said in a statement.

It said that Sulayem along with a delegation of officers paid a courtesy visit to the Commerce and Industry Minister to discuss role of India and UAE in the KP International Forum.
He appreciated the contribution of India to KP since its very inception and also extended full support to India for chairmanship in 2019.
The various possibilities of strengthening trade between India and UAE were also discussed, it added.
Further the Chairman and the Minister expressed desire to work together for mutual benefit of diamond industry and also for strengthening KP, it said.