Former African Development Bank president Akinwumi Adesina has been appointed inaugural chair of Botswana’s Diamonds for Development Fund, a joint initiative between the government of Botswana and De Beers Group, according to Channels Television. The fund is designed to channel diamond revenues into long-term economic diversification, infrastructure and job creation.
Adesina, a former Nigerian agriculture minister, will assume office on June 15, 2026. Stakeholders say his development finance experience makes him well suited to steer the resource-backed initiative aimed at turning mineral wealth into broad-based prosperity. Botswana officials described the appointment as a strong vote of confidence in his leadership. De Beers executives said the fund will help unlock inclusive growth across the diamond value chain.
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