Mining powers GDP growth in Q2:2026

Sunday Standard

Mining powers GDP growth in Q2:2026

An 81.7 percent surge in mining lifted real economic growth to 8.7 percent in the second quarter, masking a contraction across the rest of the economy as manufacturing, agriculture and construction weakened.

Non-mining GDP declined 0.2 percent from a year earlier, reversing growth of 2.8 percent in the corresponding quarter of 2025, according to Statistics Botswana. Diamond mining was the standout performer, with real value added jumping 94.7 percent.

The figures give the diamond-anchored economy its strongest recent growth outside the distortions caused by the Covid-19 collapse and rebound, but also expose how concentrated the recovery has become.

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The post Mining powers GDP growth in Q2:2026 first appeared on Sunday Standard and is written by Sunday Standard Reporter