Editors Forum, Tsogo Advisory host Diamond Deal debate

The Editors Forum Botswana in association with Tsogo Advisory will host the Botswana Diamond Deal Debate on May 4 at the UB Conference Centre at 8:30 am.

According to Tsogo Advisory team leader, Spencer Mogapi, the Botswana government and De Beers are currently negotiating a new 10-year sales agreement and a 25-year licence governing the Debswana mining joint venture. He said for the first time in the 54-year-old relationship between the Government of Botswana and De Beers, stakes have never been this high. Mogapi added that negotiations have never been so prolonged, protracted and politically charged with government demanding a bigger share of the pie where

President Mokgweetsi Masisi was even evoking hard bargaining tactics by threatening to walk away from the negotiating table if government demands are not met. “The Editors Forum, a non-profit organisation that exists to defend media freedom and independence as well as to promote and protect editorial ethics of accuracy, impartiality, and fairness has decided to partner with Tsogo Advisory, a preeminent multi-disciplinary solutions firm specialising in strategy and communications on its initiative to create a platform for a meaningful debate on the diamond deal in order to inform and educate the larger populace concerning the intricacies of this deal and what it means to the people and the country,” he said. Moreover, he said even though they were still assembling the list of panellists, they were sure that they would be from the diamond industry, trade unions, policymakers and businesses. He added that Sheila Khama, who previously headed De Beers Botswana, would be the moderator of the debate. “We are happy to have her. She is a very experienced hand and she is extremely conversant with different aspects of the diamond industry. The topical issue now is the ongoing negotiations between the Botswana government and De Beers. Batswana know what is at stake. But there has been very little light shed on just what the differences are between the two parties. What happens if the Botswana government walks away as already threatened by President Mokgweetsi Masisi? What if De Beers feels this is no longer worth it? Those are just a few questions the panellists will ponder,” he said.