Recovery may be dented by European crisis-Tibone

The economy will probably expand 4.5 percent this year and 5 percent in 2011, Tibone said in an interview last week in Abidjan, the commercial capital of Ivory Coast.

Botswana's economy contracted 6 percent in 2009 following a collapse in diamond sales that forced mines to shut for four months. Financial markets have been roiled this month on growing concern that the Greek debt crisis will spread to other European nations, forcing them to slash budget deficits and stalling the global recovery. "We are concerned," said Tibone. "If the Greek crisis persists, then that will affect consumption of our products. What happens to the U.K. and Europe could impact on diamond sales. Trade between ourselves and Europe is important."