Botswana hosts Kimberley Process Secretariat

Government has won a bid to establish Kimberley Process Secretariat at the just ended 18th Kimberley Process Plenary Meeting, held last week.

Botswana has emerged as the chosen candidate to host the Kimberley Process secretariat, beating other candidates such as Austria and China to a position that places the country at the centre of maintaining the global diamond industry’s image.

“This came after an enormous support and a rigorous campaign by President, Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi to ensure that Botswana be given the opportunity to be the host of the KP office,” said Chief Public Relations Officer at Ministry of Minerals and Energy, Boikhutso Rabasha.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Botswana last week in the capital Gaborone where over 213 participants attended in person and others virtually.

KP remains a unique tripartite initiative that brings together stakeholders in government, the industry and civil society coalition in a quest to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the diamond trade.

The KPs primary objective is the prevention of the flow of conflict diamonds while helping protect legitimate trade in rough diamonds.

The plenary as the decision making body of the Kimberley Process also discussed and agreed on the terms of reference for the next review of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme due in 2023.

Meanwhile, the plenary welcomed Zimbabwe as the new Kimberley Process Chair for 2023 and United Arab Emirates as the new Vice Chair for 2023.