Botswana's president has clinched multiple agreements with Oman, including on mineral exploration, oil storage infrastructure and renewable power, during a visit to the Gulf nation designed to strengthen economic ties, the presidency said on April 13.
Botswana has been seeking to engage Gulf states as part of its strategy to diversify beyond diamond mining and into critical minerals such as copper, gold, graphite, and iron ore.
President Duma Boko, who is on a three-day visit, presided over the signing of deals with the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, the presidency said.
They included a joint mineral exploration deal under which Botswana will seek to increase mining exploration, targeting unexplored areas covering roughly 70% of its territory.
Revenue from diamond sales, which typically account for about a third of Botswana's national revenue, has fallen as the global diamond market has been weakened by economic uncertainty and the rise in popularity of lab-grown stones.
