Today’s governments are challenged with creating new approaches to governance that enable them to better exploit the developmental potential provided by mineral resources. Establishing regulatory frameworks and state capacity to ensure that activities and mining companies are compatible with efforts to promote inclusive and sustainable development are central to this challenge.

Botswana has long been hailed as a ‘miracle’ of democracy in sub-Saharan Africa. In the last ten years however, this gilded reputation earned during 1970’s and 1980’s which reflected high economic growth levels and political stability, has lost much of its lustre.