Botswana will now join Antwerp and serve as an origin certifier for rough diamonds exported to the Group of Seven (G7), which had banned the import of Russian diamonds at the beginning of the year.

This is a crucial step in the G7's efforts to prevent diamonds mined in Russia from entering any of its member nations.

The announcement was made jointly by the G7’s diamond technical team and Botswana on Wednesday, during the second day of the annual Facets diamond conference in Antwerp.

Botswana's new president, His Excellency Duma G. Boko, made his debut in the diamond industry at the conference on Tuesday, where he discussed Botswana's commitment to promoting transparency and accountability within the supply chain.

“Botswana is committed to pioneering traceability and responsible mining practices, ensuring that our diamonds not only shine in beauty but also embody integrity and ethical stewardship,” Boko said.

Initially, the plan required all diamonds to pass through Antwerp, Europe’s diamond hub, for verification under a new tracing system. However, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and diamond mining company De Beers criticised the approach, arguing it was inequitable and would harm their economies, Reuters reports.

“Botswana and the G7 diamond technical team are now crafting a roadmap to address any identified gaps, aiming to have the export certification node fully operational in Botswana as soon as possible next year,” the statement said.

The G7's ban on direct imports of Russian diamonds began on 1st January, followed by a restriction on Russian-origin diamonds routed through third countries starting in early March.

A tracing system, initially intended to launch by 1st September, has been postponed by the EU to March 2025.