DiamondBuzz
Antwerp diamond companies fund life-saving medicines for Botswana
Eighteen Antwerp diamond firms unite to supply a year’s worth of essential medicines to 35,000 Botswana patients, strengthening humanitarian and trade ties between the two diamond hubs.
In a remarkable show of solidarity, eighteen Antwerp-based diamond companies have come together to fund critical, life-saving medicines for more than 35,000 people in Botswana, following the country’s declaration of a medical emergency earlier this year. The initiative, coordinated by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), has ensured the procurement of vital cardiac and diabetes medication—enough to support patients for a full year.
Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, Joy Bogolo Kenewendo, travelled to Antwerp to personally thank the industry for its swift and meaningful response. During her visit, she met with the contributing companies and toured several important sector facilities, underscoring the strong and longstanding partnership between Botswana and Antwerp. The two hubs remain deeply interlinked, with bilateral diamond trade valued at approximately USD 580 million in 2024.
The companies participating in this humanitarian effort include Andre Messika, Ankit Gems, Anita Diamonds, Bonas Group, Choron AMC, Dali Diamond, Dharm Diam, Ferrari, HB Antwerp, Malca Amit, Pluczenik, Rosy Blue, Rubel & Ménasché, Samir Gems, Sheetal, Shining Star, Taché, and Yerushalmi Brothers.
This collective action highlights the diamond industry’s capacity for social impact—demonstrating that strong commercial ties can also fuel meaningful community support in times of need.
DiamondBuzz
Diamond Slump forces Debswana to diversify into copper, platinum and solar
Diamond-centric mining models is giving way to broader resource portfolios
Debswana Diamond Company, the 50–50 joint venture between the Botswana government and De Beers, is moving to diversify into copper, platinum and renewable energy as the prolonged downturn in natural diamond demand pressures earnings and forces the industry to rethink its growth strategy.
The company’s board has approved plans to invest in a portfolio of non-diamond projects after revenue fell 46% in 2024, the latest available financial year, highlighting the scale of the downturn in the global diamond market.
The move signals a strategic shift toward commodities with stronger long-term demand fundamentals, particularly copper, which is central to global electrification and energy-transition infrastructure.
Debswana’s diversification reflects a broader industry pivot as diamond producers confront weak consumer demand, rising competition from lab-grown stones and elevated inventories across the supply chain.
The shift is also visible among smaller exploration companies. Botswana Diamonds recently rebranded as Botswana Minerals, signalling its own strategic focus on copper exploration rather than diamonds.
Together, these moves underscore a growing consensus across the sector: the era of diamond-centric mining models is giving way to broader resource portfolios anchored in energy-transition metals.
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