The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), through its Office of Precious Minerals (OPM), successfully hosted the first National Kimberley Process (KP) Roundtable of 2025.
The meeting, held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Monrovia, brought together key stakeholders to evaluate Liberia’s progress under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) and outline future compliance strategies.
Rebecca Kumba Fallah, Director of the Office of Precious Minerals, emphasized that the MME—Liberia’s implementing agency for the KPCS—organizes this national roundtable twice annually, following the international KP Intersessional and Plenary meetings. These sessions serve as critical platforms for aligning Liberia’s diamond governance with global standards.
The roundtable drew participation from a broad spectrum of national and international actors, including:
Wilmot Paye, Minister of Mines and Energy, Dr. Jakob Haselhuber, German Ambassador to Liberia.
Officials from the U.S. Embassy and GIZ (German Development Agency)
Representatives from Liberian government agencies, civil society organizations, and private sector partners.
Attendees commended the Ministry for its well-structured and inclusive approach, noting that the outcomes of the meeting will significantly influence Liberia’s diamond trade governance.
In her presentation, Director Fallah announced that Liberia is preparing to host a Kimberley Process Review Visit from January 26–30, 2026. She stressed the importance of this visit, which is mandated every three years under KP policy to assess member compliance.
“The last review visit was conducted in 2013, which violates the KP’s periodic review requirement and could result in penalties,” Fallah warned.
Director Fallah also highlighted key achievements from 2024 to the present, including:
Completion of a KP and anti-smuggling awareness campaign in Lofa, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, and Nimba counties
Ongoing efforts to build staff capacity in rough diamond sorting and valuation
Training of county officers to support field-level chain-of-custody enforcement
Planning for Phase II of the awareness campaign targeting the minerals sector
Established in 2003, the Kimberley Process is a global initiative aimed at preventing the trade of conflict diamonds. The KPCS requires member states to implement strict controls over the production and export of rough diamonds. Liberia joined the scheme in 2007 and has since earned a 3% royalty on the appraised value of each diamond shipment.
Director Fallah concluded by urging increased engagement from the donor community, civil society, and international partners. “A more visible and coordinated presence is essential to achieving our goals and strengthening compliance across Liberia’s mineral sector,” she stated.
