[2020-03-04] Angola wants to hire three independent diamond valuers

Source: Macauhub

The Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources and Oil launched a limited public tender to hire three independent valuers for the 9.2 million carats of diamonds produced annually in the country, at a ceremony held in Luanda.

The ceremony also served to hand over proposals from candidates to take part in the tender, which runs until 6 April.

The Secretary of State for Oil, José Barroso said that by launching the tender the ministry intends to hire three independent valuers, with good references in line with international practices for implementation of this activity.

The chairman of the committee drafting the proposals for this tender, Mankenda Ambroise, also said that Angola currently has only one independent valuer of diamonds in the rough being and the ideal situation would be to have five.

“We will start with three valuers, a number that will allow us to assess production criteria, market prices and comply with Kimberley Process certification,” he said.

Mankenda Ambroise said that on 7 April proposals from applicants would be opened, and that the results will be published in the second fortnight of the same month.

Any domestic or foreign entity can compete in this tender but must submit the proposal in Portuguese.

Last year Angola grossed US$1.3 billion from the sale of 9.2 million carats of diamonds, as a result of a new marketing policy adopted in 2018 by the government, which stepped away from a system involving preferential customers.