Addis Ababa, July 12(ENA)--Prime minister Meles Zenawi has visited on Friday the diamond mine in Jwaneng, Botswana.

It was stated during the visit that Jwaneng Mine was one of the biggest diamond mines in the world producing close to 10 million tones of diamond ores annually.

Receiving Meles at the Jwaneng airport, mayor of Jwaneng ,C. Randleman said the diamonds produced in Jwaneng play a significant role in the socio- economic development of Botswana as it is one of the countries foreign exchange earnings.

The Jwaneng mine diamond bearing pipe was discovered in 1973 and production was started in 1982.

The Mine is located some 160 Km South West of Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, with a population of 17,000 people.

The Jwaneng diamond mine has a total of 2,200 employees.

Earlier in the day Meles also visited the Botswana Meat commissions in Lobatse town ,some 70 Km South of Gaborone.

The Government owned meat commission processes and sells an average of 16,000 - 17,000 tones of beef to the European countries annually.

The Meat Commission ,which came under the auspices of the government in 1966,has about 1,600 employees.

Botswana is one of the Major Five African countries that export beef to Europe.

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