Diamond industry leaders, Avi Paz WFDB President and Eli Izhakoff, President of the World Diamond Council have welcomed the recent release of human rights activist Farai Maguwu from detention in Zimbabwe and expressed the hope that it would pave the way for a breakthrough in the Kimberley Process, and resumption of the current impasse on the resumption of rough diamond exports from Zimbabwe's Marange region.

Maguwu was arrested by Zimbabwean authorities in early June following a meeting with the Kimberley Process Monitor for Zimbabwe.

"Mr. Maguwu's release is long overdue, but we are pleased that he no longer is being held," said WFDB President Paz. Izhakoff, the WDC President said, "This is a positive development, but only a first step. We sincerely hope that the charges that had been leveled against Mr. Magawu will be dropped as well."

He further added, "Mr Magawu's ongoing detention clearly has clouded the discussions regarding the resumption of rough diamond exports from the Marange region. I hope that this latest development will help set the stage for the discussion that we will have at the Kimberley Process Mini-Summit in St. Petersburg tomorrow, and that we then will be able to move forward toward the resolution of the current impasse."

The special Kimberley Process Mini-Summit is being held in conjunction with the 7th Annual Meeting of the World Diamond Council in St. Petersburg from July 14 – 15, 2010. Paz will be attending the Summit along with other members of the WFDB Executive Committee.