The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has formally assumed leadership of the Kimberley Process (KP), vowing to deliver on critical reform initiatives and making strides in digitalisation. 

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman and CEO of Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), took the reins as chairman of KP – a United Nations programme aimed at preventing conflict diamonds from entering the mainstream rough diamond market. Bin Sulayem first headed the KP during UAE’s chairmanship in 2016. 

Key focus of his 2024 leadership are establishing a permanent secretariat in Botswana, completing the KP review and reform cycle and digitalising KP certificates on the blockchain, according to DMCC.

“Throughout 2024, Bin Sulayem will guide the KP and the 85 countries represented through a ‘Year of Delivery’, seeing a number of crucial initiatives and workstreams through to fruition,” the group said. 

At the 2023 plenary session hosted by outgoing chair Zimbabwe, Bin Sulayem was quoted as saying, “My focus as KP chair will be very clear: Solidify KP’s ability to operate autonomously and with greater efficiency. I look forward to leading the Kimberley Process into a new era of action – a year of delivery.”

The UAE was the first Arab country to join the KP initiative in 2003. In 2019, the UAE’s KP office was the first in the world to be ISO certified. The UAE is also the largest importer and exporter of diamonds with KP certificates and issues the second highest number of KP certificates globally.