Windhoek, Namibia - African ministers and senior government officials representing mines, minerals and energy met for a one-day workshop to discuss the essential role diamonds play in the development of Africa.

Representatives from Angola, Botswana, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone and South Africa were in attendance.

During the workshop, which was facilitated by the De Beers Group, the ministers spoke of the need to tell the story of diamonds and the benefits they bring to their countries' economies.

"Every diamond not purchased is a missed chance for Africa—a missed opportunity to send more children to school, build more clinics and hospitals, and continue the fight against HIV/AIDS," said Erkki Nghimtina, Namibian minister of mines and energy, in a statement. "Our challenge is to work together to strengthen the continent's diamond industry so that we can better provide for our people, enabling us all to share a brighter future. This workshop gives us the opportunity to do so."

According to the statement, African diamonds make up 65 percent of world production and contribute more than $8.4 billion annually to the continent. Revenues from the stones help fund the construction of hospitals, medical centers and hospices, providing access to healthcare for more than five million people worldwide. The diamond industry employs more than 28,000 people in southern Africa alone.