- Moves to operationalise De Beers deal
The Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo, said the government aims to strengthen marketing of Botswana’s rough diamonds during the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP12), despite weaker sales at present.
Speaking last Tuesday while presenting NDP12 draft chapters for the ministry in Parliament, Kenewendo acknowledged challenges in the diamond sector over the past three years.
“However, we have put bold strategies in place to revive and elevate the natural diamond sector,” she said.
During NDP12, Kenewendo said the government will fully operationalise its agreement with De Beers Group. This, she explained, will support initiatives such as the Jwaneng underground project, Orapa Cut 3, diamond innovation labs, local jewelry manufacturing, and beneficiation projects, ensuring that diamonds are reserved, cut, and polished in Botswana.
“There is much to be done in marketing our diamonds, positioning them not only as luxury goods but also as a store of value,” Kenewendo said.
She added that the government is responding to evolving market demands, including sustainability. “Botswana has now been accredited as an issuer of Renewable Energy Certificates,” she said, noting this will make diamonds and other minerals carbon neutral and unlock green financing for selected industries pursuing ESG-compliant projects.
Kenewendo also highlighted efforts to boost mineral extraction in Botswana. She said exploration remains limited due to thick sand cover and that few exploration projects have successfully developed into mines.
“We intend to extract more value from our minerals by ensuring that laboratory work—sampling, testing, verification—can be done locally. This has already been demonstrated by our recent work in Selebi Phikwe,” she said.
Mineral beneficiation
The minister stressed the need to develop mineral beneficiation hubs around potential mineral deposits to diversify revenue and anchor other sectors along the value chain.
“There will also be promotion of local content and skills development to increase citizen participation in mining value chains,” Kenewendo said.
