De Beers and the Namibian government are still negotiating over a new
diamond-sales agreement, according to reports. The southern African
country, buoyed by Botswana’s success, was eyeing to independently sell
part of diamonds produced by its joint venture company with De Beers,
Namdeb.
“We are still negotiating; we hope an agreement would be reached but we
don’t know when,” Mines Ministry Commissioner for Diamond Affairs Kennedy
Hamutenya was quoted as saying.
However, his latest comments appeared to contradict a statement attributed
to him by a local daily, which indicated that an outcome was expected in
two months’ time.
The envisaged diamond-sales agreement would replace a 2007 agreement that
allowed De Beers to sell the stones through its trading arm, Diamond
Trading Company. This agreement expired end of 2013, but was extended until
June.
Meanwhile, De Beers Namibia country manager Daniel Kali said there was
never a “shelf life” when they started the negotiations.
“It’s unhelpful to put timelines and we can’t comment until the process is
concluded,” he was quoted as saying.
Hamutenya said they would keep talking until they “have a win-win
agreement”.
Namdeb produced 1.76 million carats in 2013.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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