The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) held its first sale of artisanally mined rough diamonds from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on June 18, 2026, through a program called OrigemA. The initiative, launched in 2022, is a joint effort by Belgium and the DRC to ensure traceability and ethical sourcing of artisanal diamonds.
The sale featured diamonds from the Kasai Oriental province, mined by local cooperatives. According to the AWDC, the diamonds were certified under the Kimberley Process and the OrigemA blockchain-based tracking system, which provides a digital record from mine to market.
Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib stated that the program aims to support local communities and combat conflict diamond trade. The DRC's Minister of Mines, Antoinette N'Samba Kalambayi, emphasized that the initiative would help formalize the artisanal sector and improve livelihoods.
The first sale included a parcel of 1,200 carats, with proceeds going directly to the mining cooperatives. The AWDC plans to hold regular sales, with the next scheduled for September 2026.
