Botswana will establish a certification point for rough diamonds entering Group of Seven (G7) countries next year, authorities announced Wednesday, with discussions underway for additional nodes in Namibia and Angola.
The development follows widespread opposition to a plan for Antwerp to be a “single node” through which all rough destined for G7 markets would pass to ensure it is not subject to Russian sanctions.
Representatives from Belgium and Botswana carried out an analysis of the southern African country’s diamond-traceability capabilities, according to a joint statement by Botswana and the G7 diamond technical team. Both sides are now developing a plan to identify where they need to align, aiming for the node to be fully operational in Botswana “as soon as possible” in 2025, they said.
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