DRC Signs Deal with Swiss Firm ADEX to Upgrade Local Diamond Industry

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has signed an agreement with Swiss company ADEX to implement measures that will modernize and formalize the country’s diamond and colored-gemstone sector.

The initiative plans to establish a high-end cutting and jewelry workshop, a digital platform for direct access to the global markets, and programs for technology transfer and national capacity building, the DRC’s Ministry of Mines reported on X on Monday.

DRC Minister of Mines Louis Kabamba presided over the signing between the Mining Fund for Future Generations (FOMIN) and ADEX earlier this week. The Swiss firm specializes in increasing transparency and efficiency throughout the diamond and colored-gemstone supply chains.The deal created ADEX DRC SA, a collaboration FOMIN and the Swiss company own equally.

The framework agreement leads to “a new chapter in the responsible trade of diamonds and colored gemstones [in DRC],” said Kabamba. Congolese diamonds should no longer be linked to smuggling and devaluation, but “become a symbol of transparency, industrial modernization, and shared prosperity,” he added.

The agreement aligns with the government’s goal of ensuring that the country’s mineral resources generate greater value, employment, and economic benefits. The DRC expects the deal to strengthen transparency, improve revenues for industry stakeholders, support local diamond processing, and enhance its position as a responsible and competitive supplier in global diamond and colored-gemstone markets.

Image: Rough diamonds. (Shutterstock)