Jewellers for further diversification

“We want people to go as far down the value chain as possible and that’s why we want to  start a new conversation about how we can help bring jewellers to Botswana,” Mokaila said at the recent Rapaport Breakfast at the JCK Las Vegas show. “How can we have a relationship that can be meaningful to them? We will listen and do what is necessary to ensure that we diversify our economy.”

For Botswana, economic diversification is vital as the country remains highly reliant upon the diamond industry and, more specifically, diamond mining. Through its partnerships with De Beers, royalties and taxes, approximately 80 percent of royalties from diamonds mined in Botswana go to the government. Mokaila reports that about 30 percent of the country’s budget and about 80 percent of its export revenue comes from diamonds.