Botswana as the world�s biggest diamond producer by value will continue working on partnerships with other global stakeholders such as the European Union in order to improve the value derived from diamond mining and its value chains, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said. He said this while welcoming the European Commission (EU executive), deputy director general, Ms Myriam Ferran, who paid him a courtesy call at the Office of the President on Wednesday. Dr Masisi said Botswana was grateful for the support it received from the international community in its quest to host the Kimberley Process, and now sought to forge greater ties with EU, and its member states such as Belgium, in developing partnerships in the diamond trade. He gave the example of HB Botswana, a partnership between Belgian diamond processor and trader HB Antwerp, and the Botswana government with a 24 per cent equity stake, which led to the official opening of its Gaborone operations in March this year. With the Belgian economy having benefitted from rough diamonds from Botswana and other parts of the world, the President said it would be sensible for reciprocal partnership to be forged between the two states, including research and development and downstream activities. Dr Masisi reiterated that Botswana was the world�s most diamond dependent state, as trade in the gem stone contributed significantly to Botswana�s gross domestic product (GDP) and economic prosperity, and the country had a great interest in promoting the ethical global diamond trade promoted by the Kimberley Process. The President further said Botswana believed in democratic values and in multilateralism, and called on the international community to work for a peaceful resolution of ongoing international conflicts, calling on all belligerents to lay down arms and negotiate lasting peace. For her part, Ms Ferran said that Botswana and the EU had strong ties, and that Europe sought to further fortify its relations with the country and the Southern African Development Community bloc. The EU has collaborated with the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre in the ongoing Global Expo in Gaborone, with the EU-Botswana Investment and Business Summit also taking place at the same time and place.