Mmegi

Kimberley Process reaches its sink or swim moment

Tough ask: KP delegates during their meeting in Kasane in 2022. Proposals for a debate on Russia and reforms were shot down through a veto PIC: KPCS COM
Tough ask: KP delegates during their meeting in Kasane in 2022. Proposals for a debate on Russia and reforms were shot down through a veto PIC: KPCS COM

The World Diamond Council issued its strongest warning yet that the anti-blood diamonds group, the Kimberley Process, desperately needs reform. As the 86 member states gather in Dubai, besides synthetics on their mind, survival is taking centre stage, writes MBONGENI MGUNI

Forget, for a moment, the argument that natural diamonds are dead. Botswana exported P28.5 billion worth of the stones in the first seven months of this year, compared to about P25 billion over the same period last year.

Now, that’s due to a number of interlinked and causal factors, but the numbers are the numbers.

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

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