Botswana, the world’s second-largest diamond producer, is looking to play a more prominent role in the industry as No. 1 player Russia faces international outrage following its invasion of Ukraine.
The southern African nation is vying to host a permanent new headquarters and secretariat for the Kimberley Process, which seeks to combat trade in the gems from conflict areas, part of the government’s effort to turn the country into a global industry hub. Income from diamonds have helped Botswana, which was among the world’s 25 poorest countries, attain upper-middle income status.
“We have the most to lose if diamonds are badly managed,” Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi said in an interview in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. “We have used everything we’ve got from diamonds for schools, for roads, for medicine, for developing our human resource.”
