13 Jul 2016

President of Namibia, Dr Hage Geingob, has applauded Botswana for sharing mining information, experiences and technology with his country.

Dr Geingob said in an interview during a tour of the Jwaneng Mine that it was critical for the two countries, both with joint ventures with De Beers, to share information instead of reinventing the wheel.

He said he appreciated the fact that Botswana, drawing from its wealth of mining experience, selflessly assisted Namibia to also strike a mutually beneficial diamond mining deal with De Beers through Namdeb.

Dr Geingob was impressed by the fact that Batswana was in charge of all the mining operations at Jwaneng Mine.

“I am particularly happy to see that Batswana are all involved and running the mine for themselves at all levels,” he said.

The Namibian deputy prime minister also minister of international relations and cooperation, Ms Netumbo Ndaitwah who had accompanied President Geingob said she was also impressed that Jwaneng Mine had a solid corporate social responsibility to ensure the wealth generated from the gems was also plowed back into the community.

For his part the minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources Mr Kitso Mokaila shared that the two day state visit by the Namibian delegation afforded him an exclusive chance to discuss pertinent issues with his counterpart.

Mr Mokaila revealed that government was looking to do joint venture projects on water desalination and fuel storage with Namibia.

He ascribed the visit to the experience the nation has in mining and the policy environment it has created overtime to ensure the resources benefited all Batswana.

Meanwhile the Debswana managing director Mr Balisi Bonyongo in his welcome remarks explained that the Jwaneng mine had catapulted the country to the elite group of major diamond producers in the World since its official opening in 1982.

He said revenues from diamond production became a significant contributor to the national treasury. He revealed that the bulk of the revenues which was channeled towards national developments came from the Jwaneng mine, which contributed over 60 per cent of Debswana’s proceeds. 

The Jwaneng mine general manager Mr Albert Milton, for his part, attributed the Debswana success story to what he described as the visionary leadership of the nation.

Dr Geingob further visited a poverty eradication project in the mining town where  the beneficiary Mr James Wadikobo gave him a traditional wooden chair as a token of appreciation for the visit. Dr Geingob said it was crucial for the beneficiaries to be provided with market to help them sustain themselves through entrepreneurship. ENDS