By Brian Benza
De Beers’ CEO said he expected negotiations on a new diamond sales pact with Botswana’s government to be wrapped up within weeks, after meeting with the country’s new president.
De Beers, a unit of Anglo American, last year agreed a new sales pact with Botswana, the world’s top diamond producer by value, but it has yet to be signed.
Botswana’s new President Duma Boko has criticised his predecessor’s handling of the negotiations with De Beers, saying the relationship could have been damaged and the company had considered walking away.
“Both sides are very confident that we will reach alignment on those agreements very shortly. The teams are actively negotiating,” De Beers CEO Al Cook said in a video clip posted on Facebook by Botswana’s presidency.
“We see negotiations concluding in days and weeks, not months and years,” Cook added.
Boko won last month’s election by a landslide,
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