The Angolan government has inaugurated a new diamond cutting factory at the Saurimo Diamond Development Pole in Lunda Sul province, bringing the total number of operational processing units at the industrial complex to six.
The new unit belongs to Diarough Angola, a subsidiary of the international Diarough Group, which is headquartered in Belgium and operates across four continents. The facility is projected to create 130 jobs, of which 100 will be allocated to local workers and 30 to expatriates.
According to information released by the group, the factory is expected to reach a cutting capacity of 4,000 carats within a two-year horizon, reinforcing Angola’s local industrial and processing capacity for diamonds.
The unit was inaugurated by the Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, who described the plant’s entry into operation as a further step in the government’s strategy to increase the value generated in Angola from its national mineral resources. ‘The development of the diamond sector cannot be limited to extraction,’ the minister stated, arguing that an increasing share of the value generated by diamonds must remain in the country.
According to Diamantino Azevedo, each new unit installed at the Saurimo Pole contributes to transforming that strategy into an industrial reality, through job creation, knowledge transfer, and the expansion of diamond processing capacity on national territory.
The governor of Lunda Sul, Gildo Matias, highlighted the economic and social impact of the new investment, particularly in creating employment opportunities for the province’s youth. ‘This investment adds value to the economy of Lunda Sul and, above all, to our people, through job creation and new opportunities for young people,’ he said.
The inauguration comes during a period of growth in local diamond processing in Angola. Between 2021 and 2025, the volume of rough diamonds destined for cutting within the country increased from approximately 25,000 to more than 103,000 carats, representing growth of more than 300%. The new factory also incorporates traceability technologies, including blockchain-based solutions, designed to track the origin and movement of diamonds throughout the production and trading chain.
Diarough’s executive director, Suresh Parik, said the group intends to bring its international expertise to bear on a technologically advanced operation in Angola, capable of training workers, creating employment, and producing polished diamonds in line with international standards of quality and traceability.
Already present in Africa through operations in South Africa and Botswana, Diarough now adds Angola to its international network. The Saurimo Diamond Development Pole was established to bring processing closer to the principal production zones, concentrating industrial activities, training, services, and trading in a single location.
The expansion of cutting operations on national territory forms part of the government’s broader strategy to increase the added value of diamonds prior to export and to position Angola not only as one of the world’s leading diamond producers, but also as an African centre for diamond processing and value creation.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/08/16/mundo/angola/angola-governo-inaugura-nova-fabrica-de-lapidacao-de-diamantes-em-saurimo/
