Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB)

• The renewal of the Debswana mining licences for 25 years
• The sale of Debswana’s production to the Diamond Trading Company for another five years
• The establishment of Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB), a 50:50 joint venture between the Government of Botswana and De Beers

In addition to sorting and valuing Debswana’s production, the purpose of DTC Botswana is to make aggregated diamonds available for sale in Botswana for local manufacturing. 

This will support Botswana’s economic imperative to drive job creation and value creation from the country’s diamond resources.  It is expected that by the end of the decade over US$550 million of rough diamonds will be supplied in Botswana per annum.

DTC Botswana will sort and value in excess of 30 million carats in any one year, making it the largest sorting facility in the world.

DTC Botswana will sort and value all rough diamonds mined by Debswana and, for the first time in Botswana, perform local sales and seek opportunities for value creating marketing initiatives. 

It is envisaged that DTC Botswana will be the primary vehicle for creating a sustainable and profitable downstream industry in Botswana that will:

• Provide maximum long term value from diamonds to the country through world class sorting, valuing, selling and marketing practices in Botswana.
• Maintain and develop employment opportunities in Botswana
• Ensure that new skills and capabilities are created amongst Botswana’s citizens
• Be a potential catalyst for other international businesses to invest in Botswana
• In future the DTC will aggregate rough diamonds from producer countries around the world, in Botswana.

The sale of diamonds from DTC Botswana, sourced from the DTC’s aggregated mix, will be made locally to clients in Botswana.

On 14 November 2007 the DTC Botswana client list was announced identifying for supply 16 Botswana-based diamond manufacturing operations with the capacity and experience to build a sustainable local manufacturing industry.

DTC Botswana will also work together with its clients on marketing initiatives to stimulate local and regional consumption of diamonds and to maintain the integrity of the gems as a magnificent and unique natural product.

It is hoped that, through the support of DTC Botswana’s clients, a small but viable market can be developed in Botswana, focusing on local consumers and tourists. 

By facilitating the establishment of cutting and polishing in Botswana, the GRB and De Beers are paving the way for additional downstream activities, from diamond jewellery manufacturing through to retailing.

As part of the beneficiation initiative, both parties will continue to facilitate, drive and support the creation of Botswana’s downstream industry. It is hoped that local jewellery manufacturers will make full use of this opportunity.

It is also hoped that the expansion of diamond activities by DTC Botswana will also give rise to growth of secondary business sectors such as banking, security, and IT.

This should contribute to the cultivation of a more advanced diamond industry and provide further opportunities for Botswana’s economy to grow.