Zimbabwe's government and Canadile Diamonds have formed a joint venture for the construction of a multimillion-dollar Diamond Technology Centre for processing of the gems in Zimbabwe.

According to the Herald, the diamond centre, which will be built near the Charles Prince Airport, will also house a diamond auction floor, a marketing wing and an administration center, which will house the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Kimberley Process Certification Scheme offices and banks.

Project Manager Colonel Charles Mugari (Ret.) said the centre – the first of its kind in Zimbabwe – will process diamonds into finished gemstones: "It will house value-adding activities of the diamond industry such as cutting, polishing and sorting right up to the actual marketing of the finished products," he said, adding that the centralization of diamond activities would benefit Zimbabwe.

Affirmative Action Group President Supa Mandiwanzira said the initiative would help improve transparency and efficiency in diamond marketing: "We support this initiative because it is aimed at ensuring accountability for every piece of diamond in the country.

"As the AAG, we are aware that extraction of diamonds did not start with the Chiadzwa diamond mining but we are happy that our indigenous people are the first to spearhead accountability of the precious stones in the country," he said.

Zimbabwe – like many other countries – exports rough diamonds and other gemstones for value addition in other countries.