12 Feb 2019

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has called for open dialogue on issues such as HIV/AIDS and unemployment in order to come up with solutions.

Addressing Batswana living in Ethiopia on Monday on the sidelines of the 32nd African Union summit, Dr Masisi said HIV/AIDS was still a challenge. 

He said there was need for everybody to put an end to inter-generation transmission of HIV/AIDS.

The President, who was accompanied by First Lady Neo Masisi, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Alfred Madigele and other senior government officials said unemployment was another  thorny issue for Botswana.

He said it was abnormal for the country to continue to train and produce more than 10 000 graduates while only 1000 got jobs.

Dr Masisi said Botswana had cumbersome immigration laws that made it difficult for investors to settle but explained that government was committed to making the environment conducive for investment.

Dr Masisi said immigration legislation  would be opened up  as a way of encouraging investment adding there would be continued monitoring and prosecution of those who flouted the laws. 

He assured his audience of continuous efforts of luring investors to Botswana. Dr Masisi said public servants  conditions of service needed to be looked into to ensure productivity and efficiency saying the reward system was one way of motivating employees and enhancing service delivery.

He appealed to Batswana to be good ambassadors which could help attract investors to Botswana and make it easier for the country  to trade with other countries.

The  opportunity still existed for Botswana to sell mutton to European Union markets, said Dr Masisi who promised to address farmers on the issue. He said another area of opportunity was to make Botswana a place convenient for holding international meetings and conferences.

The President urged parents to raise children who were competitive with the skills relevant for the  hosting of such conferences. 

Dr Masisi said government would continue to make the tourism industry cost effective and ensure the distribution of wealth was monitored in order to attain the Sustainable Development Goals. 

He urged those who had not registered for elections to take advantage of the ongoing registration exercise in order to vote for the government of their choice in this year’s  general elections.

BOPA