The Projects Magazine

𝗗𝗘𝗕𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗥𝗘𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔’𝗦 𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗖 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 Debswana’s Managing Director, Andrew Motsomi, has reiterated the company’s commitment to leading Botswana’s economic transformation, highlighting Debswana’s role in promoting private sector expansion, citizen participation, and value addition across the economy. Speaking at a dinner hosted by the diamond mining giant at the ongoing National Business Conference (NBC) in Francistown last night, Motsomi reiterated the company's dedication to initiatives that promote private sector growth. "Our journey has been characterised by the creation of value not only from the diamonds we mine but also by empowering our fellow citizens to participate meaningfully in the economy," he said. A cornerstone of this empowerment is the Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP), which has been instrumental in generating thousands of jobs and opening significant opportunities for Batswana. Motsomi highlighted the success of CEEP in nurturing the growth of local enterprises, particularly in sectors like mining services, logistics, and catering. These citizen-owned businesses are not only creating jobs but are also contributing to the diversification and resilience of Botswana's economy. Debswana recently met its target, set five years ago to empower citizens businesses with a value of P20 billion spend and create 20,000 jobs by 2024. Debswana has reached P20 billion in citizen spend, achieving 97% of its target, and but slightly fell short on 20 000 job creation target. CEEP is a socio-economic initiative aimed at driving citizen inclusion within the company's supply chain by creating an enabling business environment, supporting citizen entities and preferential procurement with the objective of creating employment and diversifying the economy. Batswana benefit from Debswana preferential procurement through; reservation list for citizen owned companies, preference margins for citizen owned companies, preference margins for locally manufactured products, support for citizen owned entities through, improved payment terms, facilitation of access to funding through partnerships with local financial institutions as well as supplier development through training. "By prioritising local businesses in our procurement processes and fostering entrepreneurship, we have enabled Batswana to take ownership of their economic future," Motsomi noted, underscoring the importance of deepening private sector participation. Motsomi also addressed the need to move beyond raw resource extraction, advocating for increased focus on value-added industries. "By investing in value-added industries and encouraging citizen participation in these sectors, we can create a more robust and sustainable economic model. This will not only generate wealth within our borders but also position Botswana as a key player in the global market," Motsomi said.

𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗢𝗜𝗟 𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗜𝗡 𝗙𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗬 • Ownership of citizen trucks in fuel transportation rise from 3% to 25% • Of 400 trucks transporting fuel, 116 are citizen owned Botswana Oil Limited Senior Manager- Commercial, Thabo Simon, has said the National Oil Company has made strides in enhancing citizen participation within the oil industry. Speaking as a panelist on the theme "Enhancing Private Sector Growth Through Value Chain Development," at the ongoing National Business Conference in Francistown, Simon highlighted the historical barriers that have hindered local participation in the sector and the transformative role that BOL has played in overcoming these challenges. "For many years, there was a huge barrier to entry in the oil industry. Citizens were not able to participate in the fuel industry value chain in Botswana," Simon said. He explained that the industry was largely dominated by a few multinational companies, leaving little room for local entrepreneurs to thrive. However, BOL was established with a mandate to change this dynamic by facilitating meaningful participation of Batswana in the oil sector. One of the most notable achievements shared by Simon was the significant increase in the number of Batswana-owned fuel trucking businesses. "Before BOL, less than 3 percent of Batswana were in the fuel trucking business. Today, 10 years since Botswana Oil was formed, the number has risen to 25%. Of the 400 trucks transporting fuel, 116 are now owned by Batswana," he reported. He said this represents a substantial improvement in citizen involvement, directly contributing to the growth of the local economy. Simon also highlighted a key facilitation role played by Botswana Oil in negotiating with SASOL, a major fuel supplier, to allow Batswana to buy fuel directly from them. Initially, local entrepreneurs faced barriers to entry, including the lack of capacity required by refineries. To address these challenges, BOL has been instrumental in capacitating citizens, providing training, and helping them secure funding through partnerships with commercial banks. Botswana Oil's efforts extend beyond just opening doors for local participation. Simon said the National Oil company consistently engages with citizen-owned companies to ensure they understand the industry dynamics and operate efficiently. "Botswana Oil constantly engages citizen companies to ensure that there is continual engagement to understand what the industry is about and making sure that things are done well," Simon added. BOL has been granted a 90% quota allocation to import all petroleum products into Botswana. This order, which came into operation on the 1st of April 2024, marked a major shift in BOL's mandate to empower local businesses. The remaining 10% of the quota has been allocated to citizen companies, further enhancing their participation in the sector.

𝗧𝗢𝗢 𝗠𝗨𝗖𝗛 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗜𝗗𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 Vijay Naik, Founder and Managing Director of Flotek—one of Southern Africa's largest plastic pipe manufacturers—has called for the government to streamline the process of doing business in Botswana. At the National Business Conference in Francistown, Naik criticized the cumbersome regulations and approval processes that are discouraging investors. “Obtaining an Environmental Impact Assessment in Botswana can take over a year. This lengthy process is frustrating for investors. We need to simplify licensing and immigration policies. If we make investment processes too complicated, investors will go elsewhere,” Naik explained. He also stressed that for Botswana to industrialize and develop an export-oriented economy, the government must introduce export-driven incentives. “Exporting businesses are often given special consideration globally. Botswana should follow suit. Importing raw materials is costly due to our location, so we need incentives to reduce these costs,” Naik said. Additionally, Naik suggested that the government should provide ready-to-use factory spaces to attract investors. “Securing land and setting up a business site is expensive in Botswana. The government should lead in developing infrastructure to support and enable industries,” Naik concluded

𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗡𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗨𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗦 “Is the current downturn in diamond sales merely a typical market fluctuation, or are we witnessing a new structural shift in the global diamond industry? If it’s the latter, Botswana would need to accelerate its efforts to find alternative revenue sources to support fiscal expenditure,” Dr. Razia Khan, Chief Economist and Head of Research for the Middle East and Africa at Standard Chartered Bank, said during the ongoing National Business Conference in Francistown.

𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗕𝗜𝗖 𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗗𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗣𝟳𝟱𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗨𝗣𝗨𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗨𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗬𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘-𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 Stanbic Bank Botswana today affirmed its support for Morupule Coal Mine CEO Annual Cycling Challenge, through a running three-year sponsorship, contributing P 250,000 each year. In addition, Stanbic Bank contributed close to P 55,000 to organising the today's activities. "We have always supported this cause in past years because it is one close to our hearts. The proceeds collected from this cycling challenge go a long way," said Stabic Bank Head of Business & Commercial Banking Lesego Osman. Stanbic Bank has been supporting the MCM CEO Annual Cycling Challenge for the past six years. "On Friday, 23rd August 2024, our teams attended a handover donation made possible by the proceeds collected last year." Osman said through this sponsorship, Stanbic Bank aims to make a meaningful and lasting difference within Botswana, and that partnerships like these are crucial to that effort. "To the cyclists, I want to say that you are doing such a great job and making a real difference."

𝗗𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗗𝗘𝗕𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗧𝗢 𝗣𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗨-𝟮𝟬 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣𝗦 De Beers Global Sightholder Sales (DBGSS) has joined hands with Debswana to sponsor the Team Botswana, set to compete at the Under-20 World Championship to be held in Lima, Peru from 27 to 31 August 2024. The team will be departing for Lima on Friday, 23rd August 2024 and is expected back home on Tuesday, 03rd September 2024. The team is made up of 12 athletes; being 6 male and 6 female athletes, as well as 6 team officials who will be accompanying the team. When speaking at the send-off ceremony held today to bid farewell to the athletes, External Communications Manager at De Beers Global Sightholder Sales, Tumie Ramsden said at De Beers, they believe in the power of dreams, the strength of determination, and the brilliance that lies within each individual. “These values are not just at the core of our business, but they resonate deeply with what each of you represents as you prepare to compete on the world stage. Your dedication, discipline, and relentless pursuit of excellence are qualities that we hold in the highest regard,” said Ramsden. “Botswana is a nation rich in resources, not only beneath the earth but also in the talent and potential that flourishes above it. You, our young athletes, are shining examples of this potential, and you carry with you the hopes and pride of an entire nation. "As you compete at the Under 20 World Championships, you do so not just for yourselves, but for every young person in Botswana who dares to dream big and work hard to turn those dreams into reality.” In partnership with De Beers Global Sightholder Sales, together with Debswana have put a total over P1.1 million to support Team Botswana U20 Youth Athletics team and help with team preparations. Debswana, DBGSS and Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB) also awarded the 8 Management Team that recently went with Team Botswana to Paris Olympics with P 30 000 each, where Botswana’s participation was highly successful.

𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗘𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 - 𝗟𝗨𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗔 𝗠𝗗 Naseem Lahri, Managing Director of Lucara Botswana, has revealed that the iconic Karowe Mine in the Boteti district is set to produce extraordinary diamonds beyond anything previously seen. At today’s unveiling of the largest diamond ever found in Botswana, Lahri highlighted that once the Karowe mine transitions to underground operations, it will yield more high-value, large diamonds due to the rich, high-grade ore body beneath the current deposit. The 2 492 Carat exceptional diamond is the world's second biggest diamond ever unearthed in recorded history. This remarkable find was detected and recovered by the Company's Mega Diamond Recovery ("MDR") X-ray Transmission ("XRT") technology, installed in 2017 to identify and preserve large, high-value diamonds. The Karowe Underground Project, which will cost Lucara over P9 billion, is expected to extend the mine's life beyond 2040, with underground production slated to begin in the second half of 2028.

Happening right now : President Masisi viewing the largest diamond ever recovered in Botswana.Unearthed at Lucara’s Karowe Mine.

𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗨𝗣𝗨𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗨𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗘𝗢’𝘀 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗖𝗬𝗖𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧 The Annual Morupule Coal Mine CEO's Charity Cycle Challenge returns on the 25th August 2024 in Palapye, bringing cycling enthusiasts together to raise money for charity. The Annual Morupule Coal Mine CEO’s Charity Cycle Challenge is aimed at raising funds to support the less fortunate members of community while promoting the health and well-being of the employees and the broader community. The inception of Morupule Cycling Club back in 2012 came as a need to promote the sport of cycling and engage employees by the then Morupule Coal Mine General Manager, the late Albert Milton. Other objectives included encouraging physical fitness and vitality amongst the workforce for improved health thus better quality of life. Every year, MCM partner with various stakeholders, to participate in cycle challenge. Over the years, the generosity and participation of supporters of cycling challenge have enabled MCM to implement various impactful community development projects. These include the construction of houses for indigent families, building classrooms for disabled pupils at Ratsie Setlhako Primary School, refurbishing the Palapye Secondary School library, providing playground equipment for Sehunou Primary School, and constructing two fully equipped outdoor gym facilities for the Palapye community. The proceeds from the 2023 event were instrumental in installing a solar project at the Cheshire Foundation home in Palapye, valued at P300,000. The cycling challenge features 12 categories; and award prizes to Position 1,2 and 3.

𝗟𝗨𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗔 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔 - Second largest in the world Lucara Diamond Corp. has announced the recovery of an exceptional 2,492 carat diamond from its Karowe Diamond Mine in Botswana. This remarkable find, one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed, was detected and recovered by the Company's Mega Diamond Recovery ("MDR") X-ray Transmission ("XRT") technology, installed in 2017 to identify and preserve large, high-value diamonds. The stone was recovered from the processing of EM/PK(S) kimberlite, the dominant ore type that Lucara will continue to target during the first years of the Company's underground mining operations. This discovery underscores Karowe's reputation as a world-class asset and reaffirms Lucara's position as a leading producer of large, exceptional diamonds. This latest recovery joins an impressive roster of other significant finds from the mine, including the 1,758 carat Sewelô and the 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona. William Lamb, President and CEO of Lucara, commented on this historic discovery: "We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492 carat diamond. This find not only showcases the remarkable potential of our Karowe Mine, but also upholds our strategic investment in cutting-edge XRT technology. The ability to recover such a massive, high-quality stone intact demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach to diamond recovery and our commitment to maximizing value for our shareholders and stakeholders." Mr. Lamb added, "This discovery reinforces Karowe's position as a truly world-class diamond mine and highlights the continued success of our operational and underground development strategy." Botswana's diamond industry delivers wide-ranging socio-economic benefits to the country that extend well beyond the mining sector. Its influence supports national development by funding critical areas such as education and healthcare. This discovery symbolizes Botswana's continued ascent as a global leader in diamond production. It represents not only the unparalleled wealth found in Botswana's soil, but also the remarkable progress the nation has made in developing its diamond industry for the benefit of its citizens.