Namibia Desert Diamonds (Namdia) needs to look at new ways of selling Namibian diamonds in a manner that will benefit Namibians more than it has been done since before Independence.
This was said by Namdia’s chairperson Mr Bryan Eiseb today when he launched the company’s Annual Report as well as declaring a dividend of N$300 million to its shareholder.
“We need to intensify our quest for value addition locally and will soon consider selling our diamonds primarily to those clients and companies that have shown a committed interest to Namibia by investing locally in cutting and polishing factories,” Eiseb said.
“However, we believe that more can be done to support the local beneficiation. The time has now come for NAMDIA to consider partnering with those willing institutions and enter the downstream market of local jewelry manufacturing that will serve as a catalyst for Namibia to become competitive in the luxury diamond brand market.
“We can certainly not export our diamonds in rough form anymore, that has happened for the last 100 years and has proven not to optimally benefit Namibians.”
Eiseb further stated that in the short span of Namdia’s existence “we have proven that it remains the most viable route to market as a GRN initiative to sell and market NAMIBIAN diamonds as a 50 % shareholder in the NAMDEB arrangement, as such we must demand a bigger percentage from that arrangement to sell and market our diamonds, we have certainly developed the required capacity to do so, the results speak for themselves.”
In the photo: Mr Bryan Eiseb, with deputy ministers Maureen Hinda-Mbuende and Kornelia Shilunga, and some senior Namdia officials during the launch of the company’s Annual Report.
