Minerals and Energy Minister Bogolo Kenewendo announced that the changes will be tabled in the upcoming parliamentary session, noting that the carat system will remain exclusive to natural diamonds. “We will save the weight for natural diamonds as carats and use grammes for synthetics,” she said, adding that the policy aligns with international practices already adopted in markets such as Europe and the United States.
The initiative reflects Botswana’s broader strategy to safeguard the value and reputation of its natural diamond sector, which plays a vital role in the nation’s economy. President Duma Boko has consistently voiced strong opposition to lab-grown diamonds. Speaking at the JCK Las Vegas show in June, he remarked: “Lab-grown diamonds are not in the same category. They are not in the same universe. How are we even competing with something made in a factory?”
Botswana’s stance echoes similar legislative steps taken elsewhere. In 2023, Belgium and other EU member states passed laws prohibiting the sale or certification of lab-grown diamonds using carat weight.
