The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) has welcomed Howard W. Gutman, the Ambassador of the United States of America to Belgium, who visited its headquarters recently.

Gutman was received by the Board of Directors of Antwerp World Diamond Centre in the presence of Ludo Van Campenhout, Alderman of the city of Antwerp with responsibility for the diamond sector. During his tour, the diplomat visited the AWDC Diamond Office, where the country’s diamond imports and exports are monitored and examined. He also paid a visit to HRD Antwerp – Diamond Lab, one of the world’s leading laboratories that issues grading reports for polished diamonds.

Gutman’s visit to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre underscores the importance of the diamond sector in bilateral commercial relations between Belgium and the United States. The United States remains the Belgian diamond sector’s largest client market. Polished diamond exports to the United States equalled $218.8 million in November 2009, which represented 27.4 percent of $739.4 million worth of polished diamond exports registered by the Belgian diamond sector for the month.