KP Chair to attend Ninth Annual Meeting of WDC

Ambassador Welile Nhlapo, who became the Chair of the Kimberley Process at the beginning of 2013, will be attending the Ninth Annual Meeting of the World Diamond Council, as a guest of honor and will also address the Plenary Session. The Meeting is slated in Tel Aviv, Israel, May 5 and 6, 2013.

Prior to his current role as Chair of the KP, Ambassador Welile Nhlapo served as South African Ambassador to Washington, D.C., also as National Security Special Adviser to South African President Jacob Zuma, and as South Africa's Special Representative to the Great Lakes countries, including Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.

The WDC Annual Meeting will see a gathering of leaders of the global diamond and jewelry industries, representatives of the government and civil society. It is the official forum for the General Assembly of the WDC and is being hosted by the Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies. The first day on May 5, will include a WDC board meeting, and a get-together reception, while the following day will include the WDC Plenary Session, and conclude with a gala dinner.

Tung-Lai Margue, Director, Head of the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments of the European Commission, which is the EU body that oversees Kimberley Process compliance in the European Union. Mr. Margue also will address the Plenary Session has also confirmed his attendance for the Meeting.

Registration and bookings are being accepted on the dedicated WDC Annual Meeting website.