Russian diamond expert visits Bots

Staff Writer | Monday April 7, 2014 11:11

 

Representatives of the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources of Botswana, the President’s Administration, Okavango Diamond Company and De Beers were present at the event. Botswana is interested in adopting the experience of a company, such as Kristall, with more than half a century’s history in the field of diamond processing.

For Botswana, it is a new area of activities, but the policy of processing the country’s own natural resources, directed at the support and engagement of investors, is just bearing fruit. Shkadov said, “Kristall is interested in widening the cooperation and is ready to share its expertise and technologies, arrange personnel training, deliver equipment and organize its service maintenance in Botswana.”

Within the framework of his visit to Botswana, Shkadov visited the new De Beers office and trading facility, which just  relocated from London in November.  He met with  Paul Rowley, the executive vice president of De Beers global sightholder sales, to  discuss prospects for further cooperation as Kristall is one of the world’s major diamond manufacturers and a De Beers sightholder for more than 15 years.

The parties discussed vital problems facing the world diamond industry that are of a deep concern among the members of IDMA. The parties agreed that the lack of generic marketing in the global diamond market is a major obstacle for the industry’s dynamic development.