06 Oct 2019

Botswana Investment Trade Centre (BITC) strives to create an export culture in Botswana.

Speaking at the stakeholder engagement forum on October 4, BITC data administrator, Mr Mogakolodi Olefile said creating such culture would be realised by empowering local companies to produce competitive products and services.

He said they had organised buyer-seller meetings where local companies showcased their products and services outside Botswana.

Mr Olefile noted that it was critical to empower local companies since some business people were disadvantaged by self-doubt.

Also, he said BITC, organised several activities to empower local companies and give them chance to network, such as exporters’ roundtable and Global Expo Botswana.

To improve its accessibility locally, Mr Olefile stated that BITC introduced Botswana Trade Portal a few years ago, an online system that easily provided information on exports and business trade to the users across the country.

BITC investment promotion manager, Ms Malebogo Kote said they were looking into engaging some investors who would transfer skills to the locals, use local raw materials and have a positive role in creating employment opportunities.

Ms Kote thus urged the local business people to explore and venture into sectors that still had opportunities such as agri-business in the dairy sector which still relied on imports.

Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) business consultant, Ms Constance Phokoje said they had incubator programmes which helped business people with knowledge on exporting.

She said the programme also assisted trainees through all the business development stages, starting with viable business plans.

Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) Maun official, Mr Edward Magosi informed attendants that the agency had funded joint ventures between locals and foreigners.

Nonetheless, he said foreigners must be in a position to provide technical expertise and businesses should be lawfully registered in order to qualify.

Meanwhile, Mr Charles Bangura of Mowana Investment Consortium advised BITC to have research based information on investment opportunities. ENDS