The Interview — Duma Boko, President of Botswana: "The World Will Listen to Africa"

Host: Wahiga Mwaura, BBC World Service
Date: October 8, 2025
Guest: Duma Boko, President of Botswana

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Interview, Wahiga Mwaura speaks with Duma Boko, President of Botswana, from New York. The conversation delves into President Boko’s transformative agenda for Botswana—focusing on economic diversification, regaining control over Botswana’s diamond resources, and advancing women’s representation in government. Boko also explores Africa's place on the international stage, including tariff negotiations with the US, the challenges of so-called ‘third-country’ deportations, and the drive for greater African unity and representation in global governance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Botswana’s Economic Transformation and Diversification

Digital ambitions and diamond sector reforms

• Botswana aims to evolve beyond being just a logistics hub, seeking rapid digitalization and control over natural resources.
• Quote [03:18]:
  “Botswana has embarked on a journey of transformation... We are looking to digitalize our economy very rapidly, very robustly. We’re also looking to now assume control and ownership over our diamonds.” — Duma Boko

Reclaiming diamond resources

• With Anglo American divesting from De Beers Botswana (DBS), Botswana seeks to acquire the full shareholding and reorganize partnerships to benefit the nation.
  • “We are looking to acquire the entire shareholding of Anglo in DBS…” [03:40]

Responding to lab-grown diamond competition & over-reliance

• Acknowledges economic impacts due to popularity of lab-grown diamonds. Botswana plans to diversify within mining (copper, nickel, cobalt) and invest in local processing and manufacturing.
  • “We've been overly dependent on diamonds. We've taken a very heavy knock on that front. But we are also looking to diversify within the mining sector, look at critical minerals which we have plenty of…” [04:21]

2. Lessons for Africa: Partnerships & Value Addition

Government-private sector synergy

• Botswana’s public-private partnership with DBS set a model for African mining agreements—touting regulatory stability, predictability, and in-country processing as crucial for sustainable development.
  • “That partnership is an example of what can obtain if governments and the private sector come together and focus…” [05:23]

Warning against raw exports

• Exporting unprocessed minerals is the continent’s “critical difficulty,” exporting jobs and value. Calls for Africa-wide shift to local processing and industrialization.
  • “Processing of these minerals must take place in country, must take place within the continent, so that value is extracted…” [06:31]

3. Africa’s Place on the World Stage

Push for UN Security Council representation

• Botswana joins continental efforts for African permanent seats.
  • “We join the chorus of voices on the African continent pushing for that. And so our voice will be added to.” [07:19]

Building economic leverage through intra-African trade

• Praises African Continental Free Trade Area as foundation for mutual trade and stronger global bargaining power.
  • “The Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement is an attempt to ensure there’s inter Africa trade…” [07:47]
  • "Africa then becomes a formidable force in the world economic order. ... The world will have to listen to Africa." [08:19]

Tariff-free access and US trade deals

• Botswana is close to securing zero-tariff diamond exports to the US, potentially paving way for broader African benefits.
  • “We are at an advanced stage. I think we are on the verge of reaching an agreement. And it looks like Botswana will probably be the first to conclude an agreement which will then be broadened…” [11:05]

4. Navigating Complex US-Africa Relations

On third-country deportations (“quid pro quo” issue)

• Discussed US policies of relocating migrants to African nations, framing it as limited-choice diplomacy linked to aid and trade negotiations.

  • “It is... a quid pro quo in the sense that there are certain concessions African countries need from the US and the US is now presenting certain demands…” [13:07]

• Emphasizes that individual negotiations (as opposed to bloc bargaining) put countries in survival mode, limiting unified African response.

  • “Multilateralism is taking a beating... So there’s no negotiation on block. It’s individuated engagements with countries.” [15:33]
  • “It’s probably a Hobson’s choice for them.” [15:22]

On transparency and ethics of such agreements

• Says Botswana hasn’t been asked to host deported migrants yet. Suggests ethical questions are complex and often legal decisions are pending when deals are struck.
  • “There would be nothing ethically wrong with preparing yourself in advance.” [14:41]

5. Women in Leadership & Youth Empowerment

• Highlights purposeful strategies to elevate women, including using specially elected parliamentary seats and fast-tracking competent young leaders.
  • “It’s important first because we have lots of able women, highly educated, very competent, and it only is fair that they are given a platform to shine... We have devised ways in which we can empower women.” [20:18]

6. Botswana’s Public Health & Anti-Corruption Efforts

Managing the public health emergency

• Declared a state of emergency to address critical medicine shortages; now resolved, with focus on sustainable solutions and a forensic audit in progress.

  • “We’ve resolved the immediate and pressing challenges in the health sector. We are now developing sustainable and durable means of ensuring that the shortages... do not recur.” [21:12]

• Insists on thorough, lawful investigations to avoid “witch hunting.”

  • “We ensure that everything is properly done and that there’s no perception that there’s some witch hunting.” [22:04]

7. National Pride: Botswana’s Athletes

• Praises Botswana’s rising performance in athletics, crediting youth energy, international engagement, and growing self-belief.
  • “It also is a function of belief that we have in our young people... the growing self belief now showcased on the international stage.” [22:51]
  • “Africa will now not only emerge in the area of trade and commerce—in sport, Africa will also take its rightful place.” [23:28]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Every generation has to fight to maintain democracy.” — Duma Boko [01:10]
• “Processing of these minerals must take place in country.... This is what Africa needs to do, I believe.” — Duma Boko [06:31]
• “Africa then becomes a formidable force in the world economic order. ... The world will have to listen to Africa.” — Duma Boko [08:19]
• “It’s probably a Hobson’s choice for them.” — Duma Boko [15:22]
• “We have lots of able women, highly educated, very competent, and it only is fair that they are given a platform to shine.” — Duma Boko [20:18]
• “The world will need Africa. I think soon enough the world will wake up to the fact that it needs Africa and it needs Africa desperately.” — Duma Boko [18:53]

Important Timestamps

• 03:18-04:21 — Botswana’s digital ambitions and diamond industry reforms.
• 04:21-06:31 — Diversifying mining, avoiding raw mineral exports, model partnerships.
• 07:19-08:36 — Push for African representation at the UN, intra-African trade.
• 09:33-11:05 — US tariffs, Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, diamond negotiations.
• 13:07-16:26 — Third-country deportations and Africa’s diplomatic challenges.
• 18:53-19:36 — G20 Summit in Africa; debunking stereotypes, asserting regional power.
• 20:18-21:07 — Women in cabinet and efforts to uplift youth.
• 21:12-22:04 — Health emergency, government accountability, rule of law.
• 22:51-23:40 — National pride in athletics, Africa’s rising sports profile.

Summary

Wahiga Mwaura’s interview with President Duma Boko provides an incisive snapshot of an African leader pushing for local ownership, continental solidarity, and renewal on the world stage. Boko is candid about the challenges Botswana faces—from declining diamond revenue to global diplomatic pressures—but insists that African nations, working together, can reclaim agency and respect. Above all, his vision is that “the world will have to listen to Africa,” whether in economic policy, global governance, or even on the running track.