mmegi

An untimely exposure of the KP’s weaknesses

Provenance proven: Botswana's diamonds are renowned for their ethical sourcing and the fact that revenues are used for national development PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Provenance proven: Botswana's diamonds are renowned for their ethical sourcing and the fact that revenues are used for national development PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Negotiations dragged past 4am in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe last week but still failed to break a deadlock in the Kimberley Process over the wording of a contentious communique. For the second year running, the global diamond watchdog’s members split over Russia, a failure that comes as the G7 prepares its own tough stance, writes MBONGENI MGUNI

In his remarks at the Natural Diamonds Summit on Monday, President Mokgweetsi Masisi appeared to break from the version of the speech that his office and government communications would later share.

“We as Botswana and others will protect the Kimberley Process and refuse to be party to its undermining particularly as we engage with our partners globally to ensure enhanced traceability throughout the world,” he said.

Editor's Comment
The State apparatus must be sanitised

When the State cannot rely on its own machinery to pursue suspected wrongdoing, repairing that machinery must become a national priority.The establishment of a Special Investigations and Asset Recovery Task Force may help government respond to the immediate challenge. However, Botswana cannot afford to leave the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) struggling whilst building...

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