Canadian Ambassador visits Antwerp diamond sector

On Wednesday 14 May 2014, H.E. Denis Robert, Canadian Ambassador to Belgium, visited the Antwerp diamond sector. Stéphane Fischler, AWDC President and Ari Epstein, AWDC CEO received the Canadian delegation. The ambassador visited the Diamond Office, HRD Antwerp and the Antwerp Diamond Tender Facility.

Canada is an important trade partner for the Antwerp diamond sector, having produced over 5 million carats of rough diamonds, valued at 970 million US dollars in 2013. Diamonds from the Ekati and Diavik mines are currently being marketed in Antwerp. Canadian miner Stornoway’s ‘Renard Diamond Project’, in cooperation with the Province of Québec, is projected to reap a diamond production average of 1,6 carats annually. Stornoway expects commercial production to start by summer 2016. Considering the excellent relationships between Antwerp and the Canadian diamond industry, the Renard Project could mean an important new source of rough diamonds for the Antwerp diamond market.