“In 2014 we exported 620,181 carats valued at $221 million and last year 2015 we exported 500,039 carats valued at $154 million,” Mr. Abdul Ignosi Koroma said.
“It is interesting to know that all the other three Mano River Union (MRU) countries of Guinea, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire combine do not match a third of Sierra Leone’s diamond export,” he said.
To date Sierra Leone is the leading diamond producer and exporter in the MRU. The largest gem discovered in Sierra Leone is about 1,000 carat, still the third largest gem in the world.