Ghana earns top role in global diamond oversight as GoldBod CEO holds talks with major Dubai refinery

Ghana has secured a major leadership position in the global diamond industry after being selected as Vice Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for 2026 and Chair for 2027 — the first time a West African country will head the international diamond certification system.

The announcement came on November 21, 2025, during the closing session of the Kimberley Process Plenary at the ALMAS Conference Centre in Dubai.

Ghana’s delegation, led by the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), achieved the appointment after two days of negotiations involving governments, industry players, and civil society groups.

The Kimberley Process, a UN-backed initiative, regulates the global diamond trade and works to prevent conflict diamonds from entering legal markets. It currently comprises 86 member states.

Ghana receives international endorsement for minerals sector progress

Delegates at the Dubai plenary highlighted Ghana’s strengthened transparency measures, institutional reforms, and technical expertise as strong justification for the country’s elevation to the leadership role.

A ministerial statement delivered by Ghana Gold Board CEO Sammy Gyamfi was said to have further boosted confidence in the country’s capability to steer the global mechanism.

The announcement of Ghana’s appointment was met with enthusiastic applause from delegates, signalling broad support.

Confirming the development, Mr Gyamfi said the new role places significant responsibility on Ghana to lead with credibility and forward-thinking policies.

“With the reforms already underway—especially in gold and diamond governance—Ghana is in a solid position to help shape the next phase of the Kimberley Process,” he noted.

During his time in Dubai, Mr Gyamfi also engaged executives of Sam Refinery, the largest refining facility in the Middle East and the third largest worldwide.

The discussions centred on potential partnerships aimed at deepening Ghana’s mineral value chain through local refining and value addition. Although specific details remain confidential, sources say the meeting forms part of ongoing efforts to position Ghana as a major hub for mineral processing.

Established in 2003, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) has significantly reduced the flow of conflict diamonds and set global standards for the trade in rough diamonds.

Ghana will officially take up the Vice Chair role in 2026 before assuming the Chairmanship in 2027, joining past leaders including South Africa, Canada, Botswana, India, the EU, and the UAE.