OKAVANGO DIAMOND COMPANY JOINS NATURAL DIAMOND COUNCIL AS NEWEST MEMBER

5th April 2024

Natural Diamond Council (NDC) is a not-for-profit organization that is committed to inspiring and educating consumers on the real, rare, and responsible values of natural diamonds and the positive global impact of the industry. NDC is pleased to announce its newest member, Okavango Diamond Company (ODC). The Botswana government–owned rough natural diamond marketing company joins the likes of De Beers and other responsible mining companies

ODC is the first non-mining diamond company to be admitted as a member of NDC, recognizing ODC’s importance in the upstream distribution of natural diamonds, and the importance that Botswana puts on inspiring consumer demand as a driver of future prosperity for the natural diamond industry.

ODC sells over 6M carats of rough natural diamonds a year, all sourced from Debswana, Botswana’s flagship diamond mining company that accounts for 98% of Botswana’s diamond production. In addition to offering their global customer base open access to scale supply of the full range of rough diamonds sourced from Botswana, ODC is also home to the famed Okavango Blue diamond, a 20.46 carat VVS1 oval brilliant, fancy, deep blue diamond.

NDC is thrilled to have ODC Managing Director, Mmetla Masire, join its board of directors. “We are very excited to announce our support of Natural Diamond Council,” shared Masire. “ODC believes strongly in building customer confidence which we feel blends very seamlessly with NDC’s mission to expand consumer awareness across the market. We look forward to working with NDC to further our mission to provide the Botswana Government with a direct route to market for its rough diamonds and to support the ongoing transformation of Botswana into a leading rough natural diamond sourcing destination.”

“Botswana is a leading nation in setting the standards for the responsible management of its natural resources,” shared David Kellie, CEO of NDC. “Okavango Diamond Company’s membership of NDC allows us to share the story of the Botswana natural diamond industry more widely with the world. I’m excited by the leadership Mr. Masire and Okavango Diamond Company have shown in contributing to the future prosperity of the industry through their membership of NDC. We look forward to inspiring more consumers with the incredible story of Botswana’s diamonds and the positive impact that they have for Botswana. It’s a story that consumers around the world are responding strongly to,” adds Kellie.

Under their recent Industry Partnership Program, Natural Diamond Council has also collaborated with nine leading diamantaires Shree Ramkrishna Exports (SRK), Hari Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd. (HK), Rosy Blue, Venus Jewel, Diarough, Dianco, Jewelex, Shivam Jewels and KP Sanghvi as well as Choron Group, Del Gatto Diamond Finance Fund, Bonas Group, World Federation of Diamond Bourses, Antwerp Diamantkring and Botswana Diamond Manufacturers Association. This strategic alliance represents an unparalleled commitment to modern diamond industry growth, through increased investment in marketing and promotion.

About Natural Diamond Council:

Natural Diamond Council is a not-for-profit organization committed to inspiring and educating consumers on the real, rare, and responsible values of natural diamonds and the positive global impact of the industry. Our Only Natural Diamonds platform is the authoritative publisher on all things natural diamonds including myth busting facts, celebrities and pop culture, epic diamonds and jewelry trends, engagements and weddings, and diamond buying guides. In addition, we provide marketing, promotional, and educational services to brands, designers, and retailers, encouraging them to amplify the values and integrity of natural diamonds.

NDC is global organization whose members’ operations span four continents and ten countries including Canada, South Africa, and Botswana. Their operations support the livelihood of 10 million people worldwide.

NDC operates out of offices in New York, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Antwerp, with satellite teams in the UK and France.

About Okavango Diamond Company:  

Okavango Diamond Company, located in Gaborone, Botswana, is a rough diamond marketing company that is wholly owned by the Botswana Government. Offering their global customer base open access to scale supply of the full range of rough diamonds sourced from Botswana. With access to 25% of Debswana’s run-of-mine production, ODC is an important supplier to the market with sales in the region of $900 million per annum.

ODC believes in building customer confidence from the delivery of consistent sales assortments through operating an open and transparent sales model, with prices set by the market through a dynamic online bidding process.