The Minister of Minerals and Energy, Honourable Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, recently visited the De Beers Botswana Global Sightholder Sales (DBGSS) facility in Gaborone to witness firsthand the critical processes involved in the country’s diamond industry, from aggregation and valuation to sales preparation.
The tour provided an in-depth view of how Botswana’s partnership with De Beers continues to strengthen the country’s diamond value chain and promote economic diversification. During her visit, Minister Kenewendo observed the various stages in which rough diamonds are aggregated and assessed before they are sold to De Beers Sightholders — a select group of licensed diamond dealers who buy rough diamonds directly from De Beers for further cutting, polishing, and marketing.
This long-standing arrangement has not only positioned Botswana as a global player in diamond processing but has also spurred local job creation by allowing diamond beneficiation to take place within the country. “The ability to add value locally is crucial to our economy,” said Kenewendo. “We are seeing real, tangible benefits from diamond beneficiation, including skills development, employment, and local enterprise growth.”
One of the highlights of the tour was Minister Kenewendo’s introduction to Tracr, De Beers’ cutting-edge digital platform that tracks the provenance of natural diamonds. Tracr records a diamond’s journey from mine to market, allowing for enhanced transparency and ensuring the authenticity of Botswana-mined diamonds — even after they are cut and polished.
“This technology is a game-changer,” she remarked. “It not only safeguards the integrity of our diamond industry but also provides consumers around the world with confidence that their diamonds are ethically sourced from Botswana.”
The visit also included an interactive session with local business leaders who are part of the Stanford Seed Transformation Program Network. This network is made up of entrepreneurs supported through a partnership between De Beers Botswana and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. The program aims to help African entrepreneurs scale their businesses and create sustainable economic impact.
Entrepreneurs in the program shared powerful testimonials of how their businesses had grown through capacity-building and mentorship, crediting the initiative with job creation and increased operational efficiency.
“The collaboration between De Beers and Stanford is a remarkable example of how public-private partnerships can drive economic growth,” said Kenewendo. “By investing in leadership and entrepreneurship, we are laying the foundation for a more resilient and diversified economy.”
The tour reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting initiatives that integrate Botswana more deeply into the global diamond market while also empowering local enterprises and entrepreneurs to thrive in related industries.
