Hope shimmers for troubled diamond market
Friday, January 19, 2024 | 710 Views |
Upbeat: Cook and Drosos are key partners in the industry PIC: DE BEERS
Signet, which is responsible for the sale of half of Botswana's diamonds in the retail market each year, shared signals of hope with both De Beers and local media during a round-table last week. Its CEO, Gina Drosos, said the global diamond market is entering a three-year period of recovery which will lead to a price rebound in the market and stronger demand for diamonds from this year.
“We had predicted that the world would go through a three-year period of price downturn following the pandemic and now that it is over, we predict a recovery for the next three years that will strengthen demand and help prices,” she said.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...