Is Botswana Getting A Raw Deal From De Beers Diamonds - The World News [repack] -

Is Botswana Getting a Raw Deal From De Beers Diamonds? A 2026 Perspective

But the "raw deal" isn't about poverty—it's about .

In 2018, a report by the human rights group, Global Witness, accused De Beers of failing to provide adequate compensation to communities affected by its mining operations. The report also accused the company of using security forces to intimidate and harass local communities. Is Botswana Getting a Raw Deal From De Beers Diamonds

The debate over whether Botswana is getting a raw deal from De Beers diamonds is complex and multifaceted. While the diamond industry has generated significant revenue for the government and created thousands of jobs, critics argue that the country is not getting a fair share of the revenue.

Now the world's second-largest producer of diamonds, the country is also globally lauded for bucking the infamous “resource curse, The Christian Science Monitor The report also accused the company of using

Is Botswana getting a raw deal? In the strictest financial sense regarding value addition and downstream integration, the answer has historically been yes . The nation has been a passive supplier of raw wealth rather than an active participant in the luxury market.

The evidence suggests that the historical partnership, while providing immense benefits, has consistently favored De Beers and its parent company. Botswana has supplied the vast majority of the stones while retaining only a minority of the ultimate value. The new sales agreement, though improved, falls short of what many believe the country deserves, particularly given its economic hardship. Now the world's second-largest producer of diamonds, the

"The balance has shifted," says Thabo Mokoena, an economist at the University of Botswana. "De Beers still controls the sightholder list—the exclusive buyers. Botswana provides the rocks, but London decides who buys them. In an era where diamond prices are crashing, that control means everything."

to a "Diamonds for Development" fund to help diversify Botswana’s economy. Why "Raw Deal" Talk Persists

While the government has touted the deal as a positive step towards "long-term prosperity" and job creation, critics were quick to note that the final agreement fell short of the provisional 50% share that had been discussed in 2023. For a country that supplies an estimated 70% of De Beers’ rough diamonds but owns only 15% of the company itself, the new arrangement is seen by many as too little, too late.