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| Botswana to auction diamonds at home | Botswana to auction diamonds at home |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Botswana, the world's largest diamond producer, is set to auction its own diamonds for the first time instead of selling them in Europe. | Botswana, the world's largest diamond producer, is set to auction its own diamonds for the first time instead of selling them in Europe. |
| The auction is by the government-owned Okavango Diamond Company. | The auction is by the government-owned Okavango Diamond Company. |
| Later in the year, diamond giant De Beers, which owns the country's main mining firm with the government, will also move its sales to Gaborone. | Later in the year, diamond giant De Beers, which owns the country's main mining firm with the government, will also move its sales to Gaborone. |
| Botswana has long campaigned for its diamonds to be processed, sorted, marketed and sold from the country. | Botswana has long campaigned for its diamonds to be processed, sorted, marketed and sold from the country. |
| Last year, De Beers moved its rough stone sorting operation, which had been based in London for nearly 80 years, to Botswana. | Last year, De Beers moved its rough stone sorting operation, which had been based in London for nearly 80 years, to Botswana. |
| 'Big-scale move' | 'Big-scale move' |
| The BBC's Rob Young in the capital, Gaborone, says about a dozen diamond buyers from around the world are in the city for the auction. | The BBC's Rob Young in the capital, Gaborone, says about a dozen diamond buyers from around the world are in the city for the auction. |
| The government hopes diamond sales operations will bring more value-added jobs to the diamond sector, including clerical and jewellery-making work, our reporter says. | The government hopes diamond sales operations will bring more value-added jobs to the diamond sector, including clerical and jewellery-making work, our reporter says. |
| Its long-term plan is to set up a diamond hub similar to Antwerp and Tel Aviv that will continue once the diamond mines close, he says. | Its long-term plan is to set up a diamond hub similar to Antwerp and Tel Aviv that will continue once the diamond mines close, he says. |
| When De Beers relocates its sales operation later in the year, it will be selling about $6bn (£4bn) worth of diamonds a year in Gaborone. | When De Beers relocates its sales operation later in the year, it will be selling about $6bn (£4bn) worth of diamonds a year in Gaborone. |
| Philippe Mellier, chief executive of De Beers, told the BBC that moving diamond sales was part of a deal agreed with the government of Botswana. Together they own Debswana, the country's main mining company. | Philippe Mellier, chief executive of De Beers, told the BBC that moving diamond sales was part of a deal agreed with the government of Botswana. Together they own Debswana, the country's main mining company. |
| It would turn Botswana into a major diamond hub, as it was already the biggest centre for diamond production, Mr Mellier said. | It would turn Botswana into a major diamond hub, as it was already the biggest centre for diamond production, Mr Mellier said. |
| "It's a global movement of big scale for the diamond business," he told the BBC's Newsday programme. | "It's a global movement of big scale for the diamond business," he told the BBC's Newsday programme. |
| "If you migrate $500m-$600m per month of sales of diamonds - that's a big move and at the scale of Botswana that's a very big move and certainly a move of significant scale for southern Africa." |