Botswana’s new president, Duma Boko, picked Bogolo Kenewendo to be mines minister as his administration moves to cement a deal with De Beers that aims to ensure the nation will derive greater benefit from its diamond riches.

Separately on Thursday, Boko picked former minister of trade and industry Bogolo Joy Kenewendo as minister of minerals and energy in his new cabinet. Botswana’s economy is still largely dependent on the export of diamonds, and a downturn in the global ...

The chief executive of global diamonds giant De Beers, Al Cook, said that his company expected negotiations with Botswana's government over a new diamond sales pact to conclude soon. "We see negotiations concluding in days and weeks,