What they said about the deal
Friday, June 30, 2023 | 1520 Views |
The future of the 54-year old partnership between Botswana and De Beers is set to be announced today with three options on the table; a new deal, a temporary extension to accommodate more talks or the declaration of a dispute.
Since 2019, the two parties have been negotiating the terms of a new agreement governing the sale of diamonds from Debswana, as well as the renewal of the company’s mining leases which expire in 2029. The journey to today’s deadline traverses declarations of undying loyalty, COVID-19, and rising tensions. It can be tracked through quotations from the principals involved in the talks in the past five years.
The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...