Breaking the deadlock in the leadership of the Kimberley Process: A call for urgent action by countries

By Ahmed bin Sulayem
(Executive Chairman & CEO)

For more than twenty years, the Kimberley Process has served as a model for multilateral international cooperation. It has played a pivotal role in protecting the diamond trade from being used to finance armed conflict, helped build consumer confidence, protected African producing countries, and helped prevent one of the world’s most valuable resources from falling into the hands of warlords.

This achievement is now threatened with erosion. Although three countries have expressed their willingness to assume the presidency of the Kimberley Process, political disagreements have prevented a consensus on the 2025 presidency. The United Arab Emirates has assumed the presidency temporarily to ensure the continuity of the Kimberley Process, but this temporary measure cannot continue indefinitely. In the absence of elected leadership, the Kimberley Process risks losing its role and influence at a time when the international system is facing unprecedented pressures and challenges.

Global stakes and African influence

The Kimberley Process was established to ensure that the diamond trade would never again become a fuel for conflict and war on the African continent. Today, the failure to reach an agreement on leadership sends a dangerous signal that geopolitical interests have overshadowed the collective responsibility to safeguard stability in fragile regions. The credibility of the UN-recognized certification system is also at stake.

Next November, ministers are scheduled to meet in Dubai for the first Kimberley Process ministerial conference since its founding in Interlaken in 2002. They cannot leave the meeting without achieving tangible progress on three critical issues: First, adopting an updated definition of conflict diamonds, a topic whose discussions have been stalled for more than a decade. Second, accelerating the implementation of digital certification and enhancing tracking mechanisms using artificial intelligence. Third, addressing the renewed link between diamonds and arms flows, a challenge that requires increased monitoring and vigilance in light of ongoing conflicts around the world.

Who should take the lead?

The Kimberley Process presidency is not merely a symbolic position; it is a real and effective responsibility. The president reports directly to the UN General Assembly and sets priorities for action related to consumer confidence, ensuring compliance with trade laws, and achieving development impact. This task requires a country with outstanding capacity, neutrality, and credibility on the international stage.

Several countries are qualified to take on this responsibility.

The United States, with its significant market influence and leadership in AI governance, has the potential to restore momentum to the process. China, on the other hand, possesses the technological capacity and resources to digitize the certification system and enhance global tracking. Norway stands out for its experience in enforcing sanctions and its credibility in the area of sovereignty. The law, making it a natural guardian of the integrity of the system. Meanwhile, Singapore, as a neutral, technology-driven country, can serve as a bridge to bring viewpoints together. More importantly, African countries such as Ghana, South Africa, Angola, and Mauritius, each with the legitimacy, production capacity, and governance strength, can ensure that producer voices remain at the core of the Kimberley Process.

Ghana as a model of effective leadership

Ghana stands out as a clear example of what credible, reform-minded leadership can represent for the Kimberley Process. Within months of President John Dramani Maha’s return to power in January, the country has taken decisive steps toward achieving Kimberley Process priorities, such as strengthening the rule of law, fully traceable minerals, and severing the link between minerals and weapons. The government has banned foreign participation in artisanal gold markets, consolidated oversight under the new Ghana Gold Board, established security-backed task forces, and introduced rewards for whistleblowers to curb smuggling. By linking digital tracking schemes with regional efforts to combat arms smuggling, Accra is setting a practical, results-driven model—the kind of leadership the revitalised Kimberley Process urgently needs.

Time to drive

The Kimberley Process comprises 60 participants representing 86 countries, all of whom possess the capacity to take the initiative and assume responsibility. It is not just a matter of title or prestige; it is about preserving one of the most effective conflict prevention frameworks in the past generation. The alternative—inaction and division—will threaten African livelihoods and undermine global confidence in the diamond trade. Countries must act now, not only to protect the Kimberley Process, but also to demonstrate that multilateral cooperation can still deliver tangible results, even in times of division.