- Minister Bogolo Kenewendo tells international diamond leaders the country is expanding beyond production into trade, value addition, and provenance-driven growth
GAZETTE REPORTER
At the World Federation of Diamond Bourses summit held at Orapa House on Monday, Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo, positioned Botswana as a central player in the global diamond industry, highlighting six decades of development tied to diamond resources and a push to expand its role beyond production into trade and value addition.
She said Botswana marks its “diamond jubilee of independence and diamond leadership,” noting: “60 years of transformation from what was known as the basket case of the world to an upper middle-income country,” and “60 years of leadership from a barren land to a leading mining jurisdiction in the world.”
Value Chain
Kenewendo said Botswana’s ambition extends beyond mining, stating that the country aims to “bring the diamond industry home” and deepen participation in global value chains. She said diamonds should not only leave Botswana in rough form but “leave Botswana as stories, as brands, as craftsmanship, as technology, as an investment, as luxury and as jobs created at home.” She announced Botswana’s successful admission into the World Federation of Diamond Bourses framework through the Botswana Mercantile Exchange and the Botswana Diamond Hub.
Global Trust
She emphasized provenance and transparency, saying Botswana’s diamonds are “responsibly sourced, ethically mined and conflict free,” and described them as “development diamonds.” She said trust is earned through governance and partnerships, including the Kimberley Process certification scheme, the Gemological Institute of America, and blockchain traceability via Tracr.
Future Chapter
Kenewendo said Botswana is strengthening global category marketing and participating in the Luanda Accord, while promoting the “House of Botswana” initiative. She referenced recent global visibility moments including the World Relays hosted in Botswana with diamond-embedded medals, as well as international appearances by Beyoncé and Sierra wearing and promoting Botswana diamonds. She concluded that Botswana’s diamond story is “a story of possibility” and “not the conclusion of a story, it is the beginning of a new chapter.”