Leaders from global diamond centers, such as India, Antwerp, Dubai, South Africa, Israel and New York, as well as the Kimberley Process (KP) Chair Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic, will deliver speeches at the inaugural Zimbabwe Diamond Conference 2012.

Organizers say that 300 delegates are due to attend the November 12-13 conference. In addition, mining ministers from South Africa, Angola, Namibia and DRC will also speak on the second day of the conference.

The speakers include Goodwills Masimirembwa, Chairman of the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation; Dave Kassel, Chairman of New Reclamation Group (Pvt) Ltd.; Ramzi Malik, Director of Diamond Mining Corporation; Obed Dube, CEO of Marange Resources (Pvt) Ltd.; Jiang Qingde, Chairman of Anhui Foreign Economic Construction (Group) Co. Ltd.; Zebra Kasete, CEO of Murowa Diamonds; and Richard Mvududu, Chairman of the Diamond Beneficiation Association of Zimbabwe.

The keynote speaker on the second day will be Abbey Chikane, KP Monitor for Zimbabwe, who also served as the first Chairman of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

Chikane says the conference will serve to shed light on Zimbabwe's diamond mining activities. "As the country KP Monitor, I have been witnessing tremendous changes and improvement in the mining landscape in the country. Today, all diamond mines in Zimbabwe have reached international standards and stand as a model for many diamond-producing countries," Chikane adds.

Zimbabwe's Minister of Mines and Mining Development Obert Moses Mpofu, says: "We hope the Zimbabwe Diamond Conference 2012 will give our country the opportunity to show our strength to the international community. The moment has come to explore and unlock Zimbabwe's diamond potential together."