Botswana, Russia jostle for top diamond post
Friday, October 26, 2018
Botswana is the largest producer of rough diamonds by value, while Russia is the largest producer by volume. Botswana last chaired the KPCS in 2006, after Russia’s own term ended in 2005.
Under KPCS rules, the annual battle to lead the organisation is focussed on the vice chair, as the vice automatically becomes chair the following year. The vice is chosen by other member states at the organisation’s annual plenary meeting, which this year is set for November 12 to 16 in Brussels, Belgium.
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...