Towards A Regional Diamond Centre

The idea of founding a diamond centre in Botswana was born as early as 2002, but the centre was actually established only in 2008. Akolang Tombale, the architect of the Botswana diamond industry, who was born and raised in Botswana when it was a poor country, before diamond production began, was named coordinator of the diamond hub. After his recent retirement from the post, he was succeeded by Jacob Anthony Rakgomo Thamage, who also serves as head of Botswana's diamond administration and its diamond controller. During a recent trip to Israel IsraeliDiamonds spoke with Thamage and the president's representative in the Government Implementation Coordination Office, Uttum Corea.

Preparing for the Future
What part of Botswana's GDP do diamonds (now produced in Botswana by the firm Debswana) represent and what is the relative role of other minerals?