Embassy of the Republic of Botswana
1531-3 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 244-4990
Fax: (202) 244-4164

  “GOOD GOVERNANCE AND NATURAL RESOURCES”

Chairperson Ms Mora MacLean,
Congressman Donald Payne,
Distinguished Panelists,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Ladies & Gentlemen,

At the outset, I wish to thank the AAI for organizing this seminar. I believe it would provide an excellent opportunity, for an exchange of views on the important subject, of the role of natural resources, including minerals, in development.

Chairperson, my country Botswana, is the only nation which has ever graduated from a lower level of development, to a higher one in the United Nations and World Bank classification. This unprecedented development can be attributed to a combination of two major factors, namely; Good Governance and Natural Resources. This therefore is my theme for this Seminar. I do this not out of disrespect for the Conveners, but because in my humble view, there is absolutely nothing wrong with natural resources: be it copper, oil, natural gas, diamonds, wildlife, or water ways. The issue is the type of political dispensation or social order, that obtains in the country endowed with the natural resources. Is it a democracy, a dictatorship, a failed state or a country in civil war? The protagonists in any of these political dispensations and others where power relations are mismanaged, except in a democracy, would always resort to force to seek redress. Under these circumstances, the protagonists would use whatever means or resources at their disposal, to prosecute their cause. And the resources could be in any form – oil revenue, mineral revenue, proceeds from poaching, or weapons and money in the hands of terrorists. So humbly Chairperson, it’s not natural resources per se. It’s natural resources – any resources – in the wrong hands.

Fortunately Chairperson, the cases of resources in the wrong hands are decreasing, and the international community is doing something about it. In the case of diamonds, the subject of our discussion, the world has put in place the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, to ensure that no diamonds from conflict areas, find their way into the legitimate international diamond trade. The Nations of Botswana, South Africa and Namibia and key NGO’s took the lead in the creation of the Kimberly Process. Today, the largest percentage of diamonds is traded under the close monitoring and scrutiny of this UN mandated international mechanism. By creating this mechanism, the stakeholders, namely the NGOs, Governments and the diamond industry, demonstrated a great sense of responsibility and purpose in the service of humanity – they took steps to ensure that only diamonds in good hands, diamonds for development, are traded legally under the international trading system.

Chairperson, let me share with you some of the achievements that diamonds or resources in good hands have done for my country, Botswana. Through prudent management of resources including diamonds, Botswana:

• Recorded one of the highest Human Development Indices (HDI) in the world over the years. One of the elements in the index health, was to be later undermined by the HIV/AIDS pandemic;

• Achieved one of world’s longest life expectancy rankings of 70 years. This has also reduced due to HIV/AIDS;

• Became the first country in Africa to provide free Anti-Retroviral Treatment for all its citizens. In other words, because of good management of its diamond revenue, Botswana is in a rare position, relative to other countries in the same situation, to fight the scourge and safe the lives of its people.

• Is one of the few countries without external public debt in the world. I don’t know which are the others;

• Has a health facility within 15km of every citizen in the country;

• Provides free health care to all its citizens;

• Guarantees every child free schooling up to the age of 13;

The list goes on. Diamonds have brought about prosperity. Not conflict. Not even corruption. According to Transparency International, Botswana is the least corrupt country in Africa. The other good news is that this story is not limited to Botswana. Resources are transforming economies and lives in South Africa and Namibia to name but a few.

Recently President Mogae said. “For our people, every diamond purchase represents food on the table, better living conditions, better health care, safe drinking water, more roads to connect our remote communities and much more”.

In conclusion, my message to the stakeholders is, let’s work together to tighten the monitoring mechanism. There is always room for improvement. Let’s focus our vision and energies on preventing evil doers from contaminating legitimate diamond trade. Diamonds don’t walk.