President Kagame Touring the Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTC Botswana
On the final day of his landmark state visit to Botswana, President Paul Kagame arrived at the high-tech corridors of the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) Botswana in Gaborone. The visit was a deep dive into the heart of the nation’s economic engine—the world's largest and most sophisticated rough diamond sorting and valuing operation.
Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTC Botswana) is, a 50/50 joint venture between the Government of Botswana and De Beers. DTC Botswana is the world’s largest and most sophisticated rough diamond sorting and valuing operation, with the capacity to sort up to 45 million carats annually.
Guided by facility experts, President Kagame toured the sorting rooms where technology meets geology to process millions of carats annually. The tour reached a particularly poignant moment when he was shown a series of intricate portraits laid out on a lightbox. Using the very gems that drive the nation's prosperity, artisans had meticulously arranged rough diamonds to form a striking likeness of President Kagame himself, a gesture that underscored the deep friendship between the two nations.
This industrial visit followed a day of intensive diplomacy with President Duma Boko. The two leaders had already solidified their ties by signing six major agreements covering air services, tax cooperation, and more. For the Rwandan delegation, witnessing the diamond value chain firsthand—from these artistic tributes to global export models—offered a blueprint for the industrial synergies they hope to replicate back in Kigali.
Africa Team