The AWDC and Alrosa, in a joint initiative, organised “an exclusive networking event” on the sidelines of Alrosa’s diamond tender held in Russia recently.

The networking event was held in the Belgian Ambassador, Alex Van Meeuwen’s residence in Moscow and included several high-level dignitaries from both sides and reaffirmed “the excellent collaboration between Antwerp, the leading diamond trade hub, and Russian mining giant Alrosa, the world’s largest diamond producer,” the statement from AWDC said.

Those attending the event included: the Governor of the Province of Antwerp, Cathy Berx; the President of Alrosa, Andrey Zharkov; representatives of the AWDC Board of Directors,   Ramesh Patel and Jacques Weisz; representatives from the Gokhran - the State Precious Metals and Gems Repository - and several senior officials from the Russian government. “All Alrosa long-term clients were invited to this networking evening,” AWDC added.

Alrosa president Zharkov stressed upon his company’s strong ties with Antwerp, pointing out that the first long-term Alrosa contracts were closed in the city on the Scheldt. AWDC president Stéphane Fischler spoke about the “fruitful collaboration” between AWDC and Alrosa, and about the leadership role that both diamond centres play currently. This role will only be further reinforced in the coming years, emphasised Fischler, citing  the example of Alrosa vice president Andrey Polyakov  being chosen as the next president of the World Diamond Council (WDC),  an organisation which represents the global diamond industry in the Kimberley Process.

A total of 33 Belgian companies went to Moscow as part of this visit, including 15 long-term contract holders. “During the event, companies without an exclusive contract with Alrosa also received the opportunity to establish contacts with the world’s largest diamond producer,” AWDC revealed.