Botswana Has Always Driven a Hard Bargain With De Beers

Botswana is not following a trend of African state negotiating more aggressively with corporations. It has long set this trend.

This article is a response to “Why is Botswana rethinking its deal with De Beers?” by Marisa Lourenço, published on 25 April 2023.

Diamonds have been the driver of Botswana’s economic growth since the 1970s. Crucially, the sector has been dominated by a joint venture, Debswana, between the Government of Botswana (GOB) and De Beers, which still accounts for over 95% of…