The first international sale of fully traceable artisanal diamonds from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has delivered prices slightly above market estimates, according to a statement from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).
The 103.77-carat parcel, sold through a tender at Antwerp-based Bonas-Couzyn under the Belgian-Congolese OrigemA project, achieved an average price of US$65.5 per carat. Proceeds from the sale will go entirely to the COMIDIANZ cooperative, which mined the diamonds, and will be reinvested in the local community of more than 20,000 people.
OrigemA, an initiative of the AWDC, gives artisanal mining cooperatives in the DRC direct access to international markets, helping them secure competitive prices and reducing reliance on a limited number of local buyers.
“The prices achieved in this sale once again confirm Antwerp’s unique position as a global trading hub for rough diamonds,” said Karen Rentmeesters, CEO of AWDC. “The presence of a large pool of international buyers creates maximum competition, resulting in the best possible market price for the goods.”
Rentmeesters said the results highlighted the benefits of providing artisanal producers with direct market access. “These results demonstrate that direct access to the international market can make a meaningful difference for artisanal producers. We hope this success will accelerate the further rollout of the OrigemA project, so that diamonds from other participating cooperatives can also be brought to market via Antwerp in the near future.”
The sale results were announced in the presence of Sylvain Mwepu Kidenga, representing the Congolese Centre d’Expertise d’Evaluation et de Certification (CEEC). Funds generated from the sale will support the development of the mine and finance projects related to agriculture, healthcare and education in the region.