23 Jun 2019

Botswana made products turned heads during the 12^th US - Africa Business Summit at Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre in Maputo, Mozambique.

Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC)’s executive director responsible for Export Development and Promotion, Ms Trunklinah Gabonthone informed BOPA that almost all of the products that were on display during the summit generated a lot of interest from prospective customers and trade partners.

BITC displayed an array of Botswana made products among them car batteries, copper cables, lubricants, chocolates, morula Oil and organic fertilizers.

“The response has been phenomenal and we have thus received a lot of contacts who have shown great interest in many of our products, especially copper cables and chocolates that are made using local fruits,” she said.

She hailed BITC trade promotion initiative, saying it was an appropriate tool to promote Botswana made products to the outside world.

Ms Gabonthone has thus called on Botswana companies to come on board and leverage on the services provided by BITC so that they too may derive maximum benefits from the noble initiative, courtesy of the government of Botswana.

“We do conduct awareness campaigns whereby we visit individual companies to tell them more about our mandate and our export department is always open to work with any company that approaches us with a view to spreading out and penetrating the international market,” she said,  adding that BITC was readily available to assist companies to reach export readiness level.

The recently signed Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) by President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, according to Ms Gabonthone, was a step in the right direction that would help cast wide the market for Botswana made products.

During his maiden speech as head of state in April last year, President Masisi promised that his administration would intensify efforts to unlock market and business opportunities for Botswana industries presented in global trade through agreements such as SADC Free Trade Area, Africa’s Continental Free Trade Area, AGOA to mention but a few.

The primary objectives of the CFTA are among others, to create a single continental market for goods and services with free movement of business persons and investments, which paves way for accelerating the establishment of the customs union.

BITC is an organisation established by an act of Parliament to become an integrated investment and trade promotion authority with an encompassing mandate of investment promotion and attraction, export promotion and development as well as management of the national brand.  The expo was held under the theme: Advancing a Resilient and Sustainable US - Africa Partnership. Ends