Botswana
HB Antwerp diamond deal caught in political crossfire between Masisi and Ian Khama

The New Guard
Botswana, Somalia, Benin

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

BotswanaFund manager Bame Pule, a discreet adviser to president Masisi

SomaliaBarkhad Kaariye, speaking on behalf of Somaliland

BeninLéonce Hamza Houngbadji, founder of Africa Solutions Week

Botswana
All lights green for De Beers diamond deal

After two years of negotiations, the trading deal is set to be signed next month.

Botswana
Renewal of Shabtai's diamond permit runs into opposition in president's party

A number of BDP members in the National Assembly are contesting the government's decision to renew Israeli business tycoon Gilad Shabtai's operating rights at the Lerala Diamond Mine.

Botswana
De Beers' last negotiation points for Gaborone deal could undercut HB Antwerp

In its most recent talks over a new deal with the Gaborone government, the diamond giant is negotiating to set the increase of the state's share of rough diamonds against high performance targets. That could hamper the Belgian trader's rise in the country as it has to back the government.

Botswana
Gaborone pressures Lucara Diamonds to re-engage with HB Antwerp

President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his mines minister are refusing to approve the termination of a distribution partnership between the Canadian miner and the Belgian trader, in which the Botswanan state is preparing to take a 24% stake.

Botswana
Diamond trader HB Antwerp ditches CEO Oded Mansori

Botswana's diamond marketing partner has given the Belgian-Israeli industry veteran the boot. But the former executive of Steinmetz Diamond Group remains a shareholder.

Botswana
Eunice Mpoloka to become mining baroness in Gaborone

Eunice Mpoloka has just received approval from the Competition and Consumer Authority in Gaborone to acquire 51% of Hoisting Solutions, one of Botswana's main drilling and construction rental companies.

Botswana
President Masisi stifles debate on diamond renegotiations

As the government edges closer to clinching a new agreement with diamond giant De Beers and puts the finishing touches on its partnership deal with Belgian trader HB Antwerp, Gaborone has tended to brush off any criticism by attributing it to the opposition behind former president Ian Khama.

Botswana
Diamond trader HB Antwerp positions itself in Gaborone as alternative to De Beers

HB Antwerp is in talks with the state-owned Okavango Diamond Co over a diamond trade partnership, which the Belgian trader is hoping to show would be more profitable for the Botswana government than its arrangement with sector giant De Beers.

Botswana
Masisi uses Lucara to pressure De Beers for better revenue-sharing deal

President Masisi wants to make De Beers share proceeds from polished stones from the Debswana mines that Botswana runs jointly with the firm. He hopes their new arrangement will be similar to miner Lucara's deal with diamond dealer HB Antwerp.

De Beers continues crusade against synthetic diamonds in NYC

The lobbying battle that has been raging for several months between players in the natural diamond industry and manufacturers of laboratory stones will come to a head next week at New York City Jewelry Week.

Document
De Beers and Russian diamonds: Following up on our revelations

Since Glitz.paris disclosed that De Beers sold Russian stones in the United States in 2022, the diamond giant has fiercely denied it - letting slip some revealing information in the process.