27 Mar 2019

The prevalent peace and tranquillity in Botswana have made it the country of choice for economic investment.

Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Machana Shamukuni said at the Canada-Africa Business conference on March 26  that given the country’s attractiveness as an investment destination, the government was committed and ready to ensure a conducive environment to enable Canada partnerships and investments to thrive in the country.

For that reason, he said government considered the conference as a clear testimony of the strong relations between Botswana and Canada, which are underpinned by common values of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

“The choice of Africa, especially Botswana, as a business and investment destination comes at a very opportune moment when the world is looking towards Africa because of its potential for growth and investment opportunities,” he added.

In view of Botswana’s geostrategic position, Mr Shamukuni said using Botswana as a launch pad for exploring African collaborations was a smart move.

He also appreciated and commended all the organisers of the conference, namely; Canada-Africa Chamber of Commerce, Global Affairs Canada and Soapbox Communications.

Further, the assistant minister said Botswana had embarked on an economic transformation journey aimed at propelling the development status to a high-income country by 2036.

This journey, he said was underpinned by the government’s objective of becoming a knowledge-based and diversified economy.

“As our strategic partner in development, Canada has a critical role to play in the realisation of this ultimate objective,” he said.

He said endless opportunities existed in different sectors including mining, infrastructure, financial services, energy, transport and logistics, pharmaceuticals and tourism.

In his remarks, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Alfred Madigele said the conference was an opportune time for the country’s health sector to explore and exchange contacts and discuss possibilities of mutual interest.

Dr Madigele also expressed hope that the outcome of the conference could eventually lead to improved health outcomes in Botswana and the SADC region.

“Harnessing from this engagement may bring about the desired change in the narrative and landscape of our healthcare system,” he added.

From a healthcare perspective, the conference brought highly experienced global leaders in different sectors, together with top-notch researchers, to deliberate on issues which, among others, focus on pharmaceutical manufacturing, imaging diagnostic services, innovative health care devices and laboratories.

Additionally, the minister said Botswana had a potential to be a health tourism hub for the SADC region since it was strategically positioned and also offered a sounding Profitability Index, which was among the highest in the world, ‘as we have no foreign exchange controls and provide full remittances and repatriation of profits and dividends’

Furthermore, minister Madigele noted that Botswana had adopted a sector-wide approach healthcare delivery model, based on the provision of comprehensive, integrated, community-centred and financially sustainable healthcare delivery system responsive to the needs of the entire population.

For a few years now, he said his ministry had established multiple collaborative partners who had worked together with them to strengthen the health system.

Of note, he said the health sector had taken a more strategic and deliberate policy decisions to promote private sector participation as one of the important drivers of the economy.

Therefore, in reciprocation, Dr Madigele said the private health sector had also expressed its readiness to be engaged as a strategic long-term partner in the provision of healthcare in Botswana. This, he said necessitated a deliberate policy shift towards embracing public-private partnership as a strategy that would enhance interaction between public and private healthcare sectors. Ends