The Antwerp diamond sector has delivered a final shipment of life-saving medicines to Botswana, providing 35,000 patients living with cardiovascular disease and diabetes with a year's supply of essential treatment.
The initiative, coordinated by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and supported by 18 Antwerp diamond companies, was launched following Botswana's declaration of a State of Emergency in 2025 in response to a critical shortage of essential medicines.
The shipment arrived in Gaborone as part of a partnership with the government of Botswana.
“The partnership between Antwerp and Botswana has always been built on trust, respect and a shared vision for responsible natural diamonds,” said AWDC president Isidore Mörsel.
“When Botswana faced an urgent healthcare challenge, our industry responded because our relationship extends far beyond commercial transactions.”
Botswana's minister of minerals and energy Bogolo Joy Kenewendo said the partnership between her country and the Antwerp diamond community has long been built on shared prosperity, trust and mutual respect. “This initiative is a powerful reminder that the natural diamond story is ultimately about people,” she said.
Botswana's minister of health Stephen Modise said the Antwerp diamond community has “demonstrated that the natural diamond industry can be a force for sustainable development, resilience and shared human progress.”
Diamond trade between Botswana and Belgium was valued at approximately $963 million in 2025.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor-In-Chief, Rough & Polished
