Diamonds are forever, what about the jobs?
2 September, 2026Lab-grown stones from China and India are tightening their grip on an industry that has supported regional development for more than half a century. For workers in Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, the resulting slump is personal with retrenchments and closures loom. But this month, unions from six countries united to meet major producers as one force. On 26–27 August in Gaborone, fourteen trade unionists forged a joint strategy. Their message: as the diamond industry faces this transition, workers' rights and jobs must remain non-negotiable.