01 Nov 2015

Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi, is back from India where he attended the Africa-Indo summit. 

In an interview upon his arrival, Mr Masisi said the intention of the trip was to cement the already concrete relationship between Botswana and India and expand it further to cover trade. The Vice President said he also went there to lure Indian investors to Botswana. 

Mr Masisi was accompanied by local Indian investors who also spoke to their colleagues about the Botswana investment climate from their experience during a two-day business seminar in Mombasa. He was also accompanied by the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) representatives who also promoted the country as an ideal place for investment. 

Mr Masisi said they met with members of the Chamber of Industry in India (CII), the largest private sector group in the country and said people they met had a total wealth of P20 billion ready to invest in other countries. 

He said in December, Indian investors would be in Botswana to look for investment opportunities and thus he said he had urged BITC to encourage the youth to meet them for potential business ventures.  In New Delhi, Mr Masisi attended the Africa-Indo Summit which was organised in collaboration with the African Union. 

He said Indians had expressed interest in setting up a Diamond Institute in Botswana and had made a follow up meeting with them. 

Meanwhile, Mr Masisi said he had requested India to vote for Ms Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba as the secretary general of the Commonwealth saying she had capability and expertise to deliver on the post.

The Vice President was accompanied by Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Eric Molale as well as deputy permanent secretaries from three ministries. Ends