The people of Botswana don't even rate a mention in the article, they're likely not going to see a single dime of the proceeds which will be in the many tens of millions of US$.
Also, they are one of the largest producers of rough diamonds in the world, so a single stone may be a big deal for the company extracting it, but it means hardly anything to the country.
Africa has some insane level of corruption and poverty, but there are some exceptions (namely, Botswana and Mauritius).
Thank you for that information, that totally changed my view on the situation in Botswana. Reading up on Africa from time to time and I completely missed this.
Because it is value extracted, not value added, and because the receivers of the majority of that value are in a position to extract that value by virtue of having historically exploited Botswana. So the larger part of the value will be removed from the country rather than that it will become part of the local economy it will become part of our economy.
That could be, but for the jobs, transportation, development and taxes they pay, right? The benefit to Botswana is somewhat diminished by having the diamond shipped overseas. But lets be honest: there is no real industrial/commercial value to this diamond at all; it is simply a trophy.
leader 1: see that bridge right there, I got 2 million in my pocket
leader 2: see that road, I got 4 million in my pocket
leader 3: with a smudge on his face, see that building? leader 1 & 2 look at him with amazement and go, "what building" & he goes, EXACTLY!
& for the record I really live in Africa (Ethiopia)