At the launch of the WeekendPost's Diamond Jubilee publication, Dr. Gloria Somolekae, Executive Director of the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA), delivered a sobering message. Botswana's diamond fortune has long been a model of how a resource can lift a nation, but Dr. Somolekae argued that the country's experts saw warning signs decades ago. The task now is to act on those warnings. Botswana was warned about the risks of leaning too heavily on a single mineral and the urgent need to diversify.
Dr. Somolekae recalled that BIDPA had highlighted the need to prepare for a future in which diamonds would no longer provide the same economic cushion. The warning underscored a principle that has become ever more pressing: the value of making timely policy decisions, rather than scrambling to respond only once a crisis has already arrived. This theme ran through much of her presentation, emphasizing the importance of foresight and proactive measures.
Botswana recognized as far back as the 1990s that its diamond-led, capital-intensive model would never generate enough jobs to defeat poverty or spread opportunity broadly. Mining produced spectacular growth, but by its very nature, it employed relatively few people. The capital-intensive nature of mining meant that while diamonds generated significant economic growth, the sector could not create the volume of jobs needed to transform livelihoods across the country.
In response to this realization, the government sought to shift into science, technology, and a knowledge-driven future during National Development Plan 7, covering 1991/92 to 1996/97. The state invested in science and in the engineers and technical skills a modern economy would demand. BIDPA itself, established in 1995, conducted early research into poverty and rural development to support that policy agenda.
Despite this, Botswana ultimately fell behind in its pursuit of a knowledge-based economy. Dr. Somolekae diagnosed that the country lacked a clear strategy for turning its knowledge-economy ambition into reality, pursuing the agenda in fragments rather than anchoring it in a single, comprehensive plan. The institutions were built, but the connective strategy was not.
Poverty remains Botswana's most stubborn challenge, with decades of programs narrowing but not closing it. The national poverty figure does not fully capture the disparities felt in parts of the country, particularly in rural areas where economic opportunities are scarce. Dr. Somolekae pointed to multidimensional poverty research conducted in 2023 as evidence that deprivation extends well beyond earnings.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Somolekae was careful to frame Botswana's sixtieth year as an occasion for genuine pride, particularly in the country's record of peace and political stability. She singled out the peaceful transition of power that followed the 2024 general elections, when the government changed hands without violence.
Key points
- Botswana was warned 15 years ago about the risks of diamond dependence and the need to diversify its economy.
- The country has struggled to transition to a knowledge-based economy despite early adoption of science and technology policy.
- Poverty remains a significant challenge, particularly in rural areas, and requires sustainable economic opportunities to overcome.
