22 Aug 2013

It is crucial for Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) to build a competitive and attractive business environment to attract sustained investments.

Addressing a press conference, BITC acting chief executive officer, Mr Letsebe Sejoe said there was need for the national investment promotion agency to play an influential role in creating Botswana’s economy and business environment to become competitive.

Mr Sejoe said national image building was crucial in terms of creating a positive profile, image and reputation that could reinforce more business and more investment within the country.

He said previous efforts showed that BEDIA and IFSC focused on many sectors and opportunities that made it difficult to pursue them all and succeed. 

Currently, he said, BITC’s investment promotion style was selective, focused and targeted. “We are going to market with value propositions to establish how on balance the environment in Botswana enables key operations, key opportunities and key market opportunities to be successful,” he said.

Furthermore, BITC acting CEO also revealed that BITC had now created the physical in-house infrastructure for the one-stop shop and training of operators.

The one-stop shop, Mr Sejoe said would facilitate investors in terms of work and residents permits, as well as utilities connections.

He said BITC was still negotiating Service Level Agreement with key stakeholders, whose services directly impacted the business start-up process, with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of the one-stop shop. ENDS