Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Gaudentia Kröhne, has raised serious concerns over new U.S. tariffs that threaten the country’s diamond export revenues.
Speaking at the Ministerial Roundtable Discussion on the Promotion of Natural Diamonds in Luanda, Angola, Kröhne highlighted the economic risks posed by the U.S. Executive Order issued on 2 April 2025, which imposes a reciprocal 21% tariff on mineral exports, including diamonds.
Kröhne warned that the tariffs, aimed at rebalancing global trade, will reduce Namibian exports, destabilise markets, and introduce further volatility in an already strained natural diamond industry.
“Such tariffs are likely to reduce Namibian exports, create market imbalances and introduce new volatility in global trade, particularly in the natural diamond sector,” she said.
She further said Namibia’s diamond sector, which contributed 6.3% to GDP in 2023, has already been hit hard by falling diamond prices and growing competition from lab-grown alternatives. The government’s share from Debmarine Namibia plunged from nearly N$6 billion in early 2023 to just over N$2 billion by mid-year, and similar revenue pressures are expected to persist through 2025.
“In an era where consumers demand ethical and traceable luxury goods, Namibia has embraced technological innovation, through the utilisation of blockchain systems at the Namibia Diamond Trading Company to verify the origin of our diamonds, branding and reinforce their story of ethical sourcing and transparency,” she said
Despite these challenges, Kröhne reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to ethical diamond sourcing, highlighting the country’s use of blockchain verification, adherence to the Kimberley Process, and investments in local beneficiation and value addition.
She also welcomed the De Beers Group CEO’s ongoing engagement with U.S. authorities to negotiate a zero-tariff arrangement, and expressed Namibia’s willingness to engage in bilateral and multilateral discussions to ensure fair trade and continued global promotion of natural diamonds.
“The Namibian Government reaffirms its commitment to align efforts with other diamond producing nations; in addressing the challenges facing the diamond industry and to explore how best we can promote natural diamonds globally,” she said.
