In 2022, during the Kimberley Process (KP) meeting held in Gaborone, it was announced that Botswana would host the KP Secretariat.
This milestone came to fruition when the Secretariat officially opened its doors at the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub on Tuesday (October 8, 2024).
This move aligns with Botswana’s previous efforts, including the historic agreement between the government and De Beers to relocate diamond sorting and valuation operations from the United Kingdom to Gaborone.
Botswana has pledged its full support to the KP Secretariat, committing both in-kind and financial resources.
The country will provide a fully furnished office and cover its maintenance costs for the first three years.
Additionally, Botswana will bear 20, 22, and 22 percent of the Secretariat’s operational costs for the first three years, respectively.
The opening of the Secretariat marks a significant chapter for the Kimberley Process, which has operated without a permanent base since its inception in 2003.
Minister of Minerals and Energy, Lefoko Moagi, emphasized the importance of the KP, noting how it has helped transform diamond revenues into a force for good, rather than a source of conflict.
“As a founding member of the KP, Botswana bid to host the Secretariat because of the critical role diamonds play in our economy and development. Our priority is to preserve the integrity of the diamond industry. Hosting the KP Secretariat demonstrates Botswana’s leadership as the world’s top diamond producer by value,” said Moagi. He further stressed that Botswana’s role should be celebrated for ensuring diamonds drive development and not destruction.
The Kimberley Process was initially established by Southern African diamond-producing countries to protect the legitimate trade of rough diamonds, a vital economic sector for many nations.
Over the years, the KP has effectively curtailed conflict diamonds from entering legitimate trade, achieving a 99 percent conflict-free diamond trade.
“This reinforces the fact that the KP was born out of Africa, and it is only fitting that its Secretariat now has a home here,” said KP Chairman Ahmed Bin Sulayem.
He added that the establishment of a permanent office strengthens the KP and ensures it continues to promote transparency in diamond trade, particularly in Africa.
Since 2003, the Kimberley Process has operated as a tripartite initiative involving governments, civil society through the Civil Society Coalition, and the global diamond industry represented by the World Diamond Council.
Currently, the KP includes 55 participants, representing 85 countries, with the European Union represented collectively.
