08 Nov 2021

CEDA has since the revision of its guidelines in July 2020 approved 7400 loans to the tune of P850 Million. Delivering the State of the National Address (SONA) on Monday, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the loans supported agro-business, services, property and manufacturing sectors. 

He said 6798 women owned businesses were funded while youth owned businesses stood at 3315. 

Further, President Masisi said, the Botswana Exporter Development Programme (BEDP) was revised in October 2020 in an endeavor to improve export readiness and capacity of local producers to meet the dictates of export markets. 

He said initiatives aimed at preparing companies for the export market were ongoing adding so far, seven local companies had been supported to attain Fairtrade Certification. 

Dr Masisi said these certifications would enhance product competitiveness and acceptance in international markets. 

He said government was making progress in providing financial and technical support for business development to promote viable and sustainable SMMEs. This, Dr Masisi said, had been performed exceptionally well through mentoring and fostering of SMMEs to take advantage of opportunities created by the pandemic. 

he President noted that enterprises were also assisted with accessing COVID-19 relief interventions, which included Wage Subsidy, and the Industry Support loans administered by Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), CEDA and National Development Bank (NDB). 

He said the informal sector was funded through CEDA’s Letlhabile programme. Dr Masisi said the last sitting of Parliament passed the Economic Inclusion Bill, which was signed into Law in October this year. 

The objective of the Act was to promote effective participation of targeted citizens in economic activities and to facilitate enforcement of the economic empowerment initiatives. He said the initiatives included, enabling ownership of land and property. “As promised in my previous SONA, a decision was taken to reform the Public Procurement System. 

To achieve this, the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal (PPAD) Act and the Local Authorities Procurement and Asset Disposal (LAPAD) Act have been repealed,” he said. President Masisi said a single law to regulate public procurement in Botswana would soon be signed into Law. 

He said the main objective of the law was to make procuring entities fully accountable for all public procurement activities, to maximise efficiency in procurement; promote competition among suppliers and contractors; as well as, provide for the fair, equal and equitable treatment of all suppliers and contractors. 

“This law will further enhance Government’s resolve to facilitate effective citizen participation in procurement and other sectors of the economy,” he said. ENDS