The Former President H.E. Festus Mogae is in New York, USA to attend the Special Meeting of the United Nations

It is acknowledged that natural resources have strong interlinkages with the Sustainable Development Goals and that they can contribute to sustainable development outcomes, if managed prudently. Botswana participated actively, as a diamond producing country, in putting together the international multistakeholder initiatives to mitigate illicit trade in diamonds. One such initiative is the Kimberley Process which was established 20 years ago, and has been instrumental in enhancing cooperation to enhance transparency and accountability in the diamond trade.
The Special Meeting of ECOSOC aims to address lessons learned from the Kimberley Process and how such initiatives can unleash the potential of natural resources for peaceful and inclusive societies and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mogae is on record in 2006, outlining part of Botswana’s development philosophy, in respect of natural resources, informing the international community that “for our people, every diamond purchase represents food on the table, better living conditions, better healthcare, safe drinking water, more roads to connect our remote communities and much more”.
Former President Mogae is expected to deliver the keynote closing address during the ECOSOC Special Meeting.