2007

Israel Diamond Institute Will Hold "Rough Conference"

October 2007

The Israel Diamond Institute will hold its third "International Rough Diamond Conference: Tribute to the Producers" on Feb. 11-12, 2008, in Tel Aviv. The conference will bring a host of ministers of African diamond countries to Israel where they will share the podium with the world’s leading diamond producers.

"The stringent adherence by Israel to the Kimberley Process Rough Certification Scheme and the soon-to-be-adopted Israeli diamond industry-specific anti-money laundering legislation, which will be among the strictest in the industry, are contributing to the producers’ confidence in Israel as a preferred manufacturing and trading center," said Moti Ganz, head of the Israel Diamond Manufacturers Association.

Ganz said that the presence of Israel’s prime minister and the nation’s senior economic ministers at the conference will underscore the close relationship between industry and government.

Eli Avidar, IDI Managing Director, said that Israel imported approximately $5 billion worth of rough diamonds per year in recent years, and that in 2007 rough imports jumped 20 percent.

Avidar said that he would release more details about the conference and the social program shortly