Date: 2025-07-03 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00028778
BOTSWANA
A BASIC PROFILE
The discovery of diamonds has played a key role in the development of the country’s modern economy, society and environment.
A BASIC PROFILE
The discovery of diamonds has played a key role in the development of the country’s modern economy, society and environment.
Original article: https://www.nytimes.com/paidpost/de-beers/botswana.html?cpv_ap_id=50879669&utm_campaign=morein&tbs_nyt=2025-jun-nytnative_morein
A carousel of images showing different aspects of Botswana, including portraits of people, cultural scenes, natural landscapes, diamonds and city life.
Shaping Botswana’s Future
Botswana’s culture is the product of many unique forces, but it’s the discovery of diamonds that has played a key role in the development of the country’s modern economy, society and environment. Two experts share how Botswana is building on this legacy.
On the searing afternoon of March 1, 1967, a small team of geologists saw red and black minerals streaking the surface of the Kalahari Desert. A telltale sign of volcanic rock beneath the ground, it signaled that diamonds might lie beneath. An expeditionary team, led by Dr. Gavin Lamont, had been searching in Botswana for more than a decade and were close to calling off the effort when they discovered the first diamond reserve in the newly independent nation.
For the landlocked southern African country, this serendipitous discovery led to catalytic change. Once reliant on pastoral farming and foreign aid, Botswana has since become one of Africa’s most remarkable development success stories. According to the World Bank, Botswana’s gross domestic product per capita grew at an average of 5.9 percent a year between 1966 and 2014, one of the world’s highest rates during that period.
This rise did not come without challenges — mining has led to concerns about environmental degradation, social equity and human rights — but efforts continue to be made to address these issues through conservation initiatives and social reforms. Debswana, a joint venture between Botswana’s government and the leading diamond company De Beers Group, aims to have a positive impact on the economy and society while finding ways for this finite resource to benefit generations to come.
While several countries around the world produce natural diamonds, few have been as successful as Botswana. Here, two experts in their fields explore the country’s development — a journey that begins deep underground and continues with soaring ambitions.
A bird’s-eye view of Botswana’s landscape, showing mostly flat terrain with distant mountains in the background.
A black-and-white photo portrait of Keith Jefferis, managing director of Econsult Botswana, in a suit and tie.
Keith Jefferis Managing Director, Econsult Botswana
Keith Jefferis is a former senior policy adviser at Botswana’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and also served as the deputy governor of the Bank of Botswana. He is the managing director of Econsult Botswana, which specializes in research, economic commentary and policy-related analysis. A black-and-white photo portrait of Letsile Tebogo, an Olympic gold medalist, smiling while looking off in the distance. Letsile Tebogo
De beers
GLOBAL AMBASSADOR
Letsile Tebogo is an Olympic gold medalist in the 200-meter event for Botswana. He is also an ambassador for the international governing body World Athletics, championing its Kids’ Athletics program, and a global ambassador for De Beers Group.
Growth From the Ground Up
A woman with braided hair, wearing black sunglasses and a neon orange shirt, driving a truck at the mine. A woman examines an uncut diamond using a loupe, or handheld magnifying lens
A black-and-white photo portrait of Keith Jefferis, managing director of Econsult Botswana, in a suit and tie.
At the time of its independence in 1966, Botswana was one of the poorest countries in the world. The discovery of diamonds and the prudent fiscal management of these reserves helped sustain its growth for decades.
Keith Jefferis explains how the government’s far-sighted revenue spending decisions have led to societal benefits, as well as how Botswana is diversifying its economy beyond diamonds.
Q: How has the diamond industry shaped the country’s broader economic and social development?
Diamonds have been the main driver of Botswana’s economic growth over the past 50 years. The partnership between the government and the industry has been a key pillar of the country’s rise from low-income to upper-middle-income status, along with steady growth in per capita incomes.
Botswana has followed the principle that all fiscal revenues derived from the depletion of a nonrenewable resource must be devoted to reinvestment in new assets, whether human capital like education and health, physical capital such as economic and social infrastructure, or financial capital, like the sovereign wealth fund.
The benefits are clear in the form of rising life expectancy, universal and largely free primary and secondary education, extensive public infrastructure such as roads and water supplies, and financial buffers that have enabled Botswana to withstand shocks such as the global financial crisis, the country’s H.I.V./AIDS epidemic, Covid-19 and downturns in the market for precious stones.
Q: How do you see the diamond industry as a driver for wider economic development in Botswana?
In recent years, there have been determined efforts to develop economic links to the industry both upstream and downstream.
Upstream, these include local supply chains that provide inputs to diamond mining — such as mining equipment, transport and technical services — supporting the diversification of manufacturing and services. Downstream, an increasing proportion of diamonds mined in the country is now cut and polished in Botswana, creating thousands of jobs. The partnership between the government and the industry has also been important for skills development, with many people trained in the diamond industry moving on to work in other sectors and to start their own businesses.
Revenues from diamond exports have helped underpin economic stability and Botswana’s investment-grade credit rating, which makes the country attractive for both domestic and foreign investors across a range of sectors.
Q: Tell us about Botswana’s sustainability initiatives. How is its economy taking steps to ensure a greener future?
Botswana has long incorporated sustainability into its economic policy, starting with the sustainable budgeting principle that all mineral revenues must be reinvested.
A large proportion of land is reserved for conservation through national parks, providing the basis for an extensive wildlife and nature-based tourism sector.
While Botswana has historically been dependent on coal for electricity generation, in recent years its energy policy has pivoted toward renewable energy. The country has several solar power projects currently under construction, with a target of achieving 50 percent of installed power generation capacity from renewable energy by 2030. Many private companies are installing their own generation facilities, mainly from rooftop solar. It is envisaged that large-scale solar projects will provide electricity for regional exports in the coming years.
Carrying Batswana Values to the World
An almost transparent natural diamond. Profile of a woman wearing an orange-and-green traditional headdress.
A black-and-white photo portrait of Letsile Tebogo, an Olympic gold medalist, smiling while looking off in the distance.
Rapid economic growth, supported by the diamond industry and urbanization, has produced a rise in incomes and a population more exposed to global influences than ever before. For a culture that prides itself on its tradition, the Batswana (the term for the people of Botswana) have been able to adapt quickly to these changes.
Letsile Tebogo — Botswana’s first Olympic gold medalist when he won gold in the 200-meter event in 2024 — considers the role diamonds have played in his life. Q: What do you think makes the country’s culture unique? How have you seen it flourish?
I’ve seen Botswana’s culture change, especially as more young people move to the cities. It’s easy to feel pulled toward city life because it’s new and exciting, but it’s important we keep our traditions, as I think that’s what defines us as Batswana.
Culture in Botswana is defined by a deep sense of respect and dedication to everything we do — in the way people greet each other, in how we honor our elders, in the pride we take in our work. You give it your all, because you're carrying the name of your family and your country with you.
There are so many elements to our culture that are unique. One of them is the kgotla, which encourages principles of community consensus and shared decision-making, ensuring decisions are community-oriented and positioned to benefit everyone.
One way I like to stay close to our culture, especially when I’m traveling for competitions, is by listening to local and traditional music. The artists I listen to speak the same language as me and grew up close to where I did. Their music calms me down, grounds me and reminds me of home. I often warm up to this type of music before a race. It’s a way of carrying a piece of Botswana with me.
Q: How has being from Botswana shaped your identity as an athlete?
Growing up, we didn’t have the best infrastructure or fancy facilities. I stayed in my home village up until grade five, and those early years taught me a lot about making the most out of what you have.
I used to walk from home in Gaborone West to the National Stadium for training every day — about five and a half miles. I trained in the same shoes and clothes until they were worn out. It wasn’t until I was signed under Rosa Associati Management in 2021 that I had proper training gear.
My experiences so far in life and the people I have met along the way have taught me resilience, gratitude and the importance of community. That’s something I carry with me every time I step on the track. That’s why it means so much to me to represent Botswana. It's every athlete’s dream to carry their country on their back, and to have the whole nation cheering for you is an incredible feeling.
Q: What’s your experience of the role of the diamond industry in the country’s growth and burgeoning sporting prowess?
Botswana’s diamond industry has played a major role in enabling the country’s development. You can feel its impact everywhere: schools, roads, hospitals. It created more opportunities that my parents and grandparents didn’t have.
Regarding my own career, the support systems, some of the facilities and even the ability for communities to come together and back athletes like me — all of that is possible because Botswana has been able to invest in itself.
I think the diamond industry has also taught us as a nation about value — about not just digging something up and selling it, but investing in people and the future. It’s about taking what you have, no matter how small, and turning it into something bigger for yourself and your community. That’s something I’ve carried into my own journey as an athlete.
Diamonds have been vital to Botswana’s economic and social success, and attention is now turning to what comes next. There has been growing momentum toward more sustainable and ethical practices in the industry, with increasing awareness of the environmental impact and a need for responsible sourcing of this finite resource.
For Botswana and its industry partners, addressing these questions has been a top priority, contributing to ramped up support for sectors like sustainable tourism and investment in youth skills, innovation and technology.
For instance, De Beers has been working with National Geographic since 2021 to help protect the source waters of the Okavango Delta — a large inland delta in northern Botswana known for its rich wildlife. The partnership looks to support community-based initiatives and help protect the area's biodiversity in the long term by working with locals to preserve the water supply to the delta. This not only raises awareness of the importance of the area, but also provides jobs in sectors like eco-tourism, farming, teaching and more.
Innovations such as Tracr, a blockchain-based platform that allows for the secure tracking of diamonds from mine to market, are helping to verify the provenance of these precious stones. De Beers uses this technology on more than two-thirds of its diamonds, providing transparency by offering consumers the opportunity to understand the history of a diamond and how it creates a meaningful impact for communities like those in Botswana.
This kind of ongoing collaboration between the industry and local partners is cementing the commitment to building a more sustainable future in Botswana.
Peter Burgess COMMENTARY
Peter Burgess