07 Jun 2015

Botswana is expected to benefit from the Commonwealth Local Government Conference, which will be held in Gaborone from June 16-19.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Slumber Tsogwane told a media conference Friday, June 5 that in hosting the conference, the country would benefit in terms of sharing of knowledge on best practices in good local governance to ensure effective and capable local government.

Mr Tsogwane said local government personnel and other agencies would have an opportunity to attend in significant numbers, hence building capacity of local government practitioners from both the political and administrative arm.

Again, he indicated that the local economy was also expected to benefit from capital injection from outside in various sectors such as tourism and local economic production.

He also said outcomes of the high level conference would be formally submitted to Commonwealth Heads of Government for endorsement in Malta later during the year to feed into the Commonwealth’s policy and agenda setting.

The conference is one of the main international events for local government politicians, practitioners, academia and others in the Commonwealth countries.

It is held every two years in anyone of the Commonwealth countries and Botswana will be hosting the eighth edition.

Held under the theme; Local Government 2030, Achieving the Vision, the conference focuses on priorities for local governments post the 2015 period.

Its objectives include assisting in shaping future policies and priorities, research and project support for local governments and it will serve as a networking opportunity for delegates. ENDS