DeBeers S.A. managing director Gareth Penny was in the U.S. in June 2008 and said that the African diamond trade is making the lives of Africans better. The company is working to improve the image of the diamond industry in Africa, which has a history of trading in conflict diamonds.
After the civil war in Liberia ended in 2003, DeBeers started to help the county’s democratically elected government to restore its image as a diamond producer.
DeBeers gave training and equipment to government officials and helped Liberia persuade the United Nations to remove an embargo last year on the country`s diamonds.
DeBeers has an eight-point program of social responsibility in its diamond programs in Africa. This includes moving jobs in diamond sorting and cutting to African producing countries and fighting corruption. The company also operates a venture capital operation in Botswana to assist entrepreneurs start businesses, from restaurants to auto body shops.
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