Media reports out of Africa have said that Zimbabwe has entered into an agreement with Botswana to cut and polish its rough  at the Gaborone facility of the  Diamond Trading Company (DTC).  The agreement, arrived at during the high-level Zimbabwe-Botswana Bi-National Commission (BNC) summit held in Harare recently, will enable Zimbabwe to procure the best value for its diamonds, the country feels.   

The arrangement is expected to be brought into effect  immediately, with Zimbabwe shipping   its rough diamonds to Botswana for processing.  Diamond experts are  scheduled to visit Zimbabwe during the course of this month.

According to reports, Botswana's Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security Eric Molale, told The Sunday Mail  that his country “had agreed to offer its full expertise in the diamond sector”.

"We have set up a technical team that will be coming here this month to determine the scope of the work that has to be done in that area,” the  paper quoted Minister Molale as saying. “We believe that at the end, it will be a win-win situation. We have the world-renowned Diamond Trading Centre and we want Zimbabwe to take part in that centre. We need to help them to meet the standards of our trading centre, so the important thing is that they should learn first from our centre.”

The Minister also said that Botswana was keen to train the Zimbabweans  “in the whole value chain of diamond mining, valuing, processing, jewellery manufacturing and so forth”. 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries extends to  cooperation in geology, mining and metallurgy. 

Reports also indicate that the two countries are considering setting up a Joint Committee to oversee the  implementation of the MoU  by the end of April 2019.

 Meanwhile, following   speculation in the media that  Botswana has offered  a   US$600 million loan to Zimbabwe, the President of Botswana HE Mokgweetsi Masisi, has categorically denied any such moves.  The President clarified  that his government had “only offered to guarantee a US$100 million private credit line for Botswana companies” to invest in Zimbabwe. 

***