CAR Ready to Cooperate with Russia in Diamond Mining

The Foreign Minister of the Central African Republic, Sylvie Baïpo-Temon, has announced that Bangui is prepared to discuss diamond mining with Russia at the ministerial level.

"Any country that is willing to help us give price to our resources to benefit from it, develop our country and take advantage, improve the welfare levels of CAR population – we are open to them. If Russia intends to strengthen its economic cooperation through resource extraction, let them come to CAR," the minister said when asked whether Bangui plans to hold talks with Russian companies on diamond mining in the African country.

In response to whether Bangui plans to engage in discussions with Russian companies regarding diamond extraction in the African nation, the minister said, "Let them come to the Central African Republic," according to Russian news agency Sputnik.

Baipo-Temon added, "We have a mining code, a certain number of procedures that must be observed. Let them hold talks with relevant ministries."

In February of the previous year, the Russian Ambassador to the Central African Republic, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, stated that Moscow intends to assist Bangui in regulating its diamond exports. According to the Foreign Minister of the Central African Republic, her country is open to the idea.

Since 2013, diamond exports from the Central African Republic have been banned under the Kimberley Process due to the ongoing conflict in the country.

The ban was partially lifted in 2016, allowing the Central African Republic to resume sales from five "green zones" where the government can certify that the stones are conflict-free.

However, the ban remains in place in the rest of the country, where armed groups still control diamond mines.