26 Feb 2015

The Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) has encouraged business people to use the Botswana brand in their products in order to promote them internationally.

Speaking during a workshop in Maun recently, Ms Kutlo Moagi, director at BITC said the brand helped to galvanise Batswana around a single identity to stimulate stronger communities, heritage and instill a greater sense of pride and community engagement in the country.

Ms Moagi said Batswana had to use national brand in their businesses to position Botswana to international audiences as an attractive place to visit, work and invest.

“National brand highlights Botswana’s national assets, including our people, culture, tourism attractions, business potential and our reputation as a country with good governance,” she said. She noted that many Batswana businesses had good products that needed international recognition and it would be advisable for them to brand their products to market and promote them globally.

Ms Moagi said the coordination of branding, marketing and promotion by key national stakeholders aimed to differentiate Botswana from its African neighbors and enhance visitation.

“Brand Botswana is responsible for the pride mark in order to show commitment by an individual or group in our country to instill pride in our communities,” she said.

Mr Tshepang Kelatile, the Investment Promotion director also advised business owners and companies to register with BITC in order to secure government clearances and approvals with ease.

“We want investment work for Batswana as we have no foreign exchange controls or restrictions on business ownership, and taxes are also very low for corporations and individuals,” he said.

As an investment and trade agency, Mr Kelatile said they promote investment expansions, facilitation services and export development and promotion.

Mr Kelatile said they have established Special Economic Zone to overcome barriers to trade and investment and create more competitive business environment to attract investors and diversify exports. ENDS