30 Mar 2021

 Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs plays a critical role in the country’s economic development agenda by ensuring that appropriate legislation and regulations are in place to facilitate attraction of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

The minister, Ms Anna Mokgethi said this when she requested Parliament to approve P452 816 090 and P52 400 000 for recurrent and development budget respectively for the 2021/22 financial year.  

Ms Mokgethi said the ministry continued to review legislation to improve service delivery and it would review several Acts.

The minister said the Citizenship Act was being reviewed to align it with the age of majority, which had been set at 18 years and is expected to be tabled during the current Parliament sitting.

Ms Mokgethi said the review of the Immigration Act aimed at enhancing ease of doing business as well as modernising the work and residence permits and visa regimes.

The amendment of the National Registration Act, she said, aimed at aligning the Citizenship Act as well as the Interpretation Act, adding that a Cabinet memorandum seeking approval to ament the Act had been circulated.

Births and Deaths Registration Act review seeks to align it to the Children’s Act to include the father’s details in the birth certificate.

Minister Mokgethi highlighted that the Marriage Act review intended to register customary and religious marriages, noting that such would reaffirm Botswana’s commitment to protect the rights of the child.

Talking about the Change of Name Act, the minister said the review sought to regulate the number of times one could change one’s name.

The review of the Society’s Act seeks to enhance transparency by aligning it with the Financial Intelligence Act.

Furthermore, Ms Mokgethi said the ministry had introduced online visa application services, which would be launched the first quarter of the next financial year.

She said as part of attracting FDI, 283 non-citizens were issued with permanent residence permits during the current financial year.

Minister Mokgethi said they had continued with management of border control despite the challenges emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic, which had necessitated travel restrictions.

She said since April last year, only 10 out of 30 land ports of entry had been operational, adding that four airports had also been operational since December 5, 2020.

The pandemic, she said, had affected many key initiatives that were earmarked on by her ministry during the current financial year.

One of the areas negatively affected had been the establishment of a one stop border posts with neighbouring countries, she added.

The minister however said they had held discussions over Kazungula, Ramokgwebana and Tlokweng for the development of one stop border post.

She pointed out that another set-back they expected was the high demand for renewal of passports, following the introduction of the e-passport in 2010.

The minister however noted that due to restrictions on international travel and lockdowns, the production was low, adding that only 9 891 passports were produced as compared to over 73 000 produced the previous year.

She said they were working towards introducing a biometric identity card.  ENDS