Diamonds continue to make a significant contribution to the development of southern Africa. This contribution has been most marked in Botswana and Namibia, where diamonds remain the largest single contributor to Gross Domestic Product, export earnings and government revenues.
“…when you buy a diamond from De Beers, part of that money still today goes to help build and maintain roads and clean water systems in Botswana. You can
drive anywhere in that country and you can see services that have been paid for by a legal framework, strong regulations, and a national consensus that the money
from the earth and its riches should be spent on the people of Botswana.”
Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State of the United States of America at a press conference in Abuja, Nigeria, 12 August 2009
Over the past 40 years, De Beers has significantly contributed to the economic and social development of Botswana. The country has evolved from being one of the 10 poorest countries in the world in 1966, to the middle income country it is today. Since independence in 1966, Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate has averaged 7% per annum. The diamond industry is the lifeline of the economy, propelling the population to a higher standard of living and a better quality of life.