First fully traceable artisanal Congolese diamonds sold in Antwerp
Fully traceable, artisanally mined diamonds from the Democratic Republic of Congo have been sold on the international market in Antwerp for the first time, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) announced on Thursday. The initiative aims to give small-scale miners direct access to international buyers and fairer prices.
A first batch of 103.77 carats of rough diamonds from the Kasaï region was offered for sale in Antwerp through OrigemA, a Belgian-Congolese project involving AWDC, the Congolese government, NGO Resolve and technology partner Everledger, with support from the Belgian Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs.
The project uses a digital tracing system that records every step in the supply chain, from extraction in Congo to sale in Antwerp. According to AWDC, this is the first time such transparency has been achieved for artisanal Congolese diamonds.
"With OrigemA, we primarily wanted to offer an answer to the challenges faced by artisanal miners in Congo," said AWDC chief executive Karen Rentmeesters. "In the first place, their diamonds do not find access to international markets, meaning many cooperatives do not receive the fair price they deserve."
The first diamonds sold came from the Kamana Ndeke mine near Tshikapa and were mined by the COMIDIANZ cooperative. The sale was conducted through a public tender organised by Antwerp-based diamond company Bonas-Couzyn.
AWDC says the project breaks with a traditional system in which artisanal miners often depend on a limited number of buyers. By reducing the number of intermediaries and exposing the diamonds directly to international competition in Antwerp, mining cooperatives are expected to receive better prices for their stones.
©BELGA PHOTO TOM GOYVAERTS
According to AWDC, Congo accounts for nearly 70 per cent of global artisanal diamond production, which represents around 5 per cent of total diamond output worldwide. The organisation says the additional revenue generated through the scheme should help local communities invest in infrastructure, education and healthcare.
The project also includes training for hundreds of miners and investments in equipment and internet connectivity at remote mining sites, allowing diamonds to be digitally registered immediately after extraction.
#FlandersNewsService | Diamonds pictured at the sale of 100 percent traceable artisanally mined diamonds from DR Congo at the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), Thursday 18 June 2026 in Antwerp ©BELGA PHOTO TOM GOYVAERTS
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