President Duma Boko has a busy June, rallying global partners for the recovery of natural diamonds at a time when the dreaded trade tariffs by the United States administration are weeks away from kicking in. Boko, accompanied by his top lieutenants, is due to make his debut at the JCK Show in Las Vegas today, the industry premier trade event where all segments of the diamond pipeline meet, trade, exchange ideas and map out strategies.
The annual event attracts more than 30,000 delegates and is the premium platform for debates around the diamond industry. Saddled with a prolonged downturn tracing back to late 2023, any hopes of recovery for diamonds were this year dealt a blow by President Donald Trump’s global tariffs. The trade measures not only threaten a 37% levy on Botswana’s direct exports to the US, but similarly punitive rates on other key centres through which Botswana stones flow such as India and Antwerp. For Botswana and other partners in the natural diamond industry, this year’s event is critical for garnering support for the stones’ recovery and mapping out the critically required marketing strategies, as well as the budgets needed to spur demand in the key retail period which traditionally falls between Thanksgiving in the U.S and the Chinese New Year. Rob Bates, JCK news director and prominent diamond industry journalist, shared with Mmegi what he believes are some of the points Boko will have to keep in mind in order to secure success in his engagements. “It would be great if President Boko introduced himself to the industry,” Bates told Mmegi.
