Ghana, through the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), has secured a major milestone on the global stage after being appointed Vice Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for 2026, with the mandate to serve as Chair in 2027.

The announcement was made on 21 November 2025 during the closing session of the 2025 KP Plenary at the ALMAS Conference Centre in Dubai. The appointment followed two days of intensive deliberations, ministerial engagements, and consultations involving government delegations, industry players, and civil society organisations.

This decision makes Ghana the first West African nation to hold both the Vice Chair and Chair roles of the Kimberley Process since its establishment.

Significance of the Appointment

Under KP governance rules, the Chair and Vice Chair are chosen by consensus of the Plenary. They oversee the enforcement of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), coordinate working groups and committees, and shape policies that regulate the global diamond supply chain.

Observers at the plenary noted that a statement delivered by GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi Esq. during the Ministerial Session helped reinforce confidence in Ghana’s leadership capacity and contributed to the wide support the country received.

Delegates applauded the decision, with many citing Ghana’s strengthened mineral governance reforms, transparency measures, and technical expertise in gold and diamond regulation.

Ghana’s Commitment Ahead

Speaking in an interview after the announcement, Mr. Gyamfi confirmed the historic appointment and stressed that it places a renewed responsibility on Ghana to lead with transparency, innovation, and accountability.

He added that with reform efforts already underway especially in diamond and gold governance Ghana is well positioned to guide the KP into its next phase of global impact.

About the Kimberley Process

Established in 2003 by the United Nations, the Kimberley Process is a multilateral certification framework aimed at preventing conflict diamonds from entering legitimate global markets. Its core mission is to ensure diamond revenues do not finance terrorism, armed conflict, or civil unrest.

The KP brings together 86 participants, including governments, the World Diamond Council (industry), and the KP Civil Society Coalition.

Over the past two decades, the body has achieved:

• Significant reduction in illicit diamond flows from conflict regions
• A unified certification system enhancing transparency and traceability
• A cooperative platform between governments, private sector, and civil society for risk monitoring and industry reform

Past Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Kimberley Process (2003–2025)

2003: South Africa / Canada
2004: Canada / Russian Federation
2005: Russian Federation / Botswana
2006: Botswana / European Commission
2007: European Commission / India
2008: India / Namibia
2009: Namibia / Israel
2010: Israel / DRC
2011: DRC / United States
2012: United States / South Africa
2013: South Africa / China
2014: China / Angola
2015: Angola / United Arab Emirates
2016: United Arab Emirates / Australia
2017: Australia / European Union
2018: European Union / India
2019: India / Russian Federation
2020: No chair (COVID-19)
2021: Russian Federation / Botswana
2022: Botswana / Zimbabwe
2023: Zimbabwe / United Arab Emirates
2024: United Arab Emirates / —
2025: United Arab Emirates / Thailand