(KPL/Prensa Latina)Ministers from the leading African diamond-producing countries are meeting in this capital on Wednesday to discuss how to respond to the challenges facing the industry, which is affected by the rise in consumption of synthetic stones.

This is a decisive moment, underscored Angolan Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil, and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, who in his opening remarks at the Ministerial Roundtable highlighted the need for united action to address the market disruptions evident since 2022.

About this issue, Azevedo emphasized that in addition to synthetic alternatives gaining ground, especially among key consumers such as the United States and China, there are concerns about the ethics of the extractive industry.

He added that the meeting in Luanda, therefore, aims not only to reflect but also to outline strategies to raise the profile of natural diamonds and show the world their contribution to the development of our countries and peoples.

The Angolan minister called for harmonizing regional policies to create fairer markets, ensuring the ethical origin of precious stones, and coordinating global campaigns to position natural diamonds as active forces for good.

The signing of the Luanda Agreement is expected to be the result of the meeting, enabling joint action on these issues.

KPL