Angola Vice-President announces Angola's willingness to be Vice-Chair of KPCS in 2014

At the celebration conference of the discovery of diamonds in Angola Vice-President Eng. Manuel Domingos Vicente has announced the Republic of Angola's willingness to take up the position of Vice-Chair of the KPCS in 2014. The decision will be taken during the next KPCS Plenary in Johannesburg in December 2013 under the Chairmanship of South Africa. The Chair of the KPCS in 2014 will be in the hands of the People's Republic of China and Angola is willing to take over this position afterwards.

Angola has since the start of the KPCS been a strong supporter of the Kimberley Process. It also chairs the important position of the Working Group of Artisanal and Alluvial Producers (WGAAP).

Mr. Paulo M'Vika, Chair of the WGAAP said: “As an important producer we have been instrumental in the Washington Declaration aimed to improve the situation of artisanal miners on our continent. The Washington Declaration was a welcome complement to the earlier Moscow Declaration. We are ready as a Vice Chair to take up an even more engaging role in the future.”

Mr. Sumbula, Chairman of Endiama added: I am particularly happy that on the occasion of our Centenary we can announce our further commitment to the minimum requirements of the KP while at the same time opening our industry for further prospection and investments in the Angolan territory".

Mr. Rui Mangueira, Minister of Justice and Human Rights of Angola announced that the Government of Angola is very determined to strongly eradicate any violation of human rights which directly would be linked to the production of diamonds. The eviction of illegal workers coming to search diamonds on Angolan territory is a delicate exercise but can and will in no way compromise our living up to the high standards on the compliance with fundamental human rights. Eli Izhakoff, President of the WDC said: “We are here to honor a country that is a living example of the promise of rebirth, and a center that offers the most tangible proof of what the Kimberley Process is able to achieve.”