12 Feb 2019

In order to have a poverty-free nation, assistance provided to the underpriviledged should be enhanced, says Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane. 

 Officially opening the National Poverty Eradication workshop yesterday, poverty, unemployment, inequality and the gap between the rich and poor remained the country’s main challenges.

 Noting that the mentioned challenges were linked, the vice president said they therefore  required diligent attention.

   Addressing the challenges, he said, required a multi-dimensional approach in the assessment of the underprivileged, assistance provided, monitoring and evaluation as well as stakeholder participation. 

  Addressing the challenges, he said, required a multi-dimensional approach in the assessment of the underprivileged, assistance provided, monitoring and evaluation as well as stakeholder participation. 

  Quoting Statistics Botswana’s 2018 Botswana Multi Topic Household Survey, Mr Tsogwane said the percentage of Batswana living below the poverty datum line was 16.3 per cent while those in extreme poverty was 5.8 per cent.

   Vice President Tsogwane said the National Poverty Eradication Strategy was aimed at creating an enabling environment for effective poverty elimination efforts. 

It would ensure coordinated mechanisms for addressing poverty eradication initiatives in the country, he said. 

In developing the strategy, Mr Tsogwane said, the views of different stakeholders such as civil society, local leadership as well as poverty eradication beneficiaries were taken into consideration with 68 consultation sessions conducted across the country. 

Regarding the theme “Building a Resilient Society for a Poverty Free Botswana,” Mr Tsogwane said it was consistent with the principle of “leaving no one behind,” that guided the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals.

He said the theme was in line with the country’s National Vision 2036 of ‘Achieving Prosperity For All,’ as well as National Development Plan 11 which advocated for inclusive economic growth. 

For his part, Assistant Minister of Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration Mr Machana Shamukuni said it was important that the National Poverty Eradication Strategy and policy reflected the aspirations of the nation as well as incorporating the views of all relevant stakeholders.

The aim  of the workshop, Mr Shamukuni said, was to interrogate the current poverty eradication initiatives for the purposes of checking alignment with national aspirations. 

It also sought recommitment of the various roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders and to review the current governance of the Poverty Eradication Programme looking at the focus, structures, systems and processes for greater impact.  ends