DTC holds leadership summit in Africa
Discusses region's opportunities for diamond industry
July 01, 2008
London—The
Diamond Trading Co. (DTC) has completed its three-day Leaders in
Africa Summit, an event gathering together leaders from the DTC, from Africa and from its sightholders' businesses, celebrating the start of a new three-year contract been the DTC and its 78 clients.
The mission of the summit, held in South Africa, was to bring leaders to the place where the DTC's roots lie and to expose them to innovative approaches and thought leadership that could serve as a catalyst for change in the diamond industry.
Topics covered at the summit ranged from the latest economic and political developments in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia to the latest trends in technology and economics.
Speakers included Russell Simmons, who spoke about the role individuals have in supporting humanitarian causes, and Festus Mogae, the former president of the Republic of Botswana, who spoke on the opportunities for foreign investment in that nation and the importance of a cohesive partnership between the public and private sector as a means of ensuring a prosperous Africa.
Attendees also had the opportunity to visit the Venetia Mine, where they were able to experience firsthand the operations of a diamond mine and see the infrastructure that brings the stones from mine to market.
"To maintain our position as the world's most effective distributor of rough diamonds, it is important that we recognize and learn about the enormous opportunities that southern Africa offers to our clients," DTC Managing Director Varda Shine said in a media release. "We hope that by hosting this event, for our clients and partners, that it demonstrates our commitment to this region as we move toward a more sustainable economy through beneficiation of diamonds."
To address the environmental impact of the attendees' carbon footprint as they traveled to South Africa, the DTC partnered with Food and Trees for Africa, on organization that embraces best practices in sustainable environmental activities. Through the partnership, 320 trees were planted in the area of Venetia.
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