Several African diamond-producing nations have expressed concern over the selection of India as Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for 2026, citing unresolved structural and governance challenges within the certification scheme.
African producers, which collectively account for the majority of global rough diamond output, had supported the appointment of an African chair for 2026. The African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA) stated that leadership from a producing country would better reflect upstream priorities, including revenue stability, sovereign participation in reform discussions, and protections for mining communities.
These concerns gained prominence after the November 2025 KP plenary held in Dubai, where talks on modernizing the conflict diamond definition ended without consensus. Proposals supported by African members, including expanding the definition to include state actors, were not adopted. The plenary concluded without agreement on key reform items and without appointing a chair for 2026.
Dr M’zée Fula Ngenge of the African Diamond Council (ADC) said India’s appointment places a major polishing and trading centre — processing nearly 90 percent of the world’s rough diamonds — at the helm. He stated that the decision “moves away from expanding responsibilities and prioritizes downstream industry concerns like supply chain stability and rough diamond access over the challenges faced by upstream producers.”
Ghana was confirmed as Vice-Chair for 2026 and Chair Elect for 2027. However, India’s selection through an extraordinary written procedure in December 2025 has led to perceptions that producing nations’ preferences were set aside in favour of a leading non-producer economy.
