Johannesburg: The World Diamond Council (WDC) has made contact with the African Diamond Producers Association (ADPA), offering its support in dealing with the impact on the mining sector of the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

ADPA is a union of African diamond mining countries, working as to advance the common interests of the continent’s diamond producers. The organization has 18 member countries, of which 11 are permanent members and seven are observers.

In a letter to Edgar Diogo de Carvalho, ADPA’s Executive Secretary, WDC President Edward Asscher wrote: The World Diamond Council would like to reach out to you and your member organizations, out of concern about the Ebola crisis in parts of Africa, and with the desire to provide you with practical support. We would like to offer you our technical assistance, expertise and resources to insure that this public health crisis has minimal impact on the diamond supply chain.”

Delegations of the World Diamond Council and African Diamond Producers Association are both scheduled to attend the Kimberley Process Plenary Meeting in Guangzhou, China, November 10-14, 2014.