DUBAI: The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has announced the agenda for Dubai Diamond Week, a world-first gathering of the global diamond industry in Dubai from 11th-15th November. The event will feature a trifecta of key events: DMCC’s Dubai Diamond Conference (DDC), the Kimberley Process (KP) Plenary Session, and the Jewellery, Gem and Technology in Dubai (JGTD) trade show.
The biennial DDC will commence on Monday, 11th November, under the theme ‘Thriving Under Pressure: Navigating the New Global Paradigms’, focusing on critical discussions about the industry’s most pressing challenges. These include supply chain pressures amid economic and geopolitical uncertainty, key market dynamics and competition reshaping global demand, new regulatory and compliance requirements with greater emphasis on transparency and traceability across the supply chain, and the need for urgent action on generic promotion to stimulate demand.
Keynotes will be delivered by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State fo
r Foreign Trade, and Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group. Three curated panels of experts will explore both short- and long-term pressures facing the industry, lessons from other industries on navigating traceability mandates, and the evolving regulatory landscape, including ESG regulations affecting the diamond industry. The DDC will conclude with a panel discussing key strategies for driving long-term, successful change in the diamond industry.
Following the DDC, Dubai’s flagship jewellery trade show, JGT Dubai, will take place from 12th-14th November. Having launched in 2022, JGT Dubai has rapidly grown, becoming one of the signature events in the global gem and jewellery calendar, as well as a major regional B2B sourcing opportunity. This year’s event will bring together gemstone dealers, jewellery manufacturers, tech solutions, and service providers for three days of networking and trading.
The 2024 Plenary Session of the UN-led Kimberley Process (KP) will round out Dubai Diamond Week, running from 12th-15t
h November. DMCC’s Ahmed Bin Sulayem will represent the UAE as Chair of the KP for the second time in 2024. The Plenary Session will mark the culmination of the UAE Chairmanship’s ‘Year of Delivery’, offering an opportunity to benchmark progress against the programme’s priorities and adopt key administrative decisions as part of the KP’s efforts to regulate the international diamond trade and prevent conflict diamonds from entering the market.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC, said, “With the UAE’s trade volumes for rough and polished diamonds rising 12 percent year-on-year to nearly 120 million carats in the first half of 2024, Dubai continues to solidify its position as the largest diamond trade hub in the world and the centre for global discussions on the future of the industry. By convening three world-leading events in one place, Diamond Week will provide extensive value through information sharing and networking, and serve as a critical platform to drive bold co
nversations and address key issues. I look forward to welcoming our global network of industry and government leaders as we chart the next phase of growth and value for the diamond industry.”
Now in its sixth edition, DMCC’s Dubai Diamond Conference has become a must-attend event for the diamond industry, from mining companies to retailers. It has played a key role in driving industry growth through a conversation-driven agenda, helping position Dubai as a leading diamond trade hub. DMCC also operates the Dubai Diamond Exchange, the largest diamond tender facility in the world, which is home to over 1,300 diamond companies.
Source: Emirates News Agency