21 Nov 2021

 Government has established different sectors under the Ministry of Investment Trade and Industry to re-arrange and drive the industrialisation agenda.

Among the sectors, particularly 11 parastatals, are the Business Botswana and Botswana Exporters Manufacturers Association (BEMA). This was said by the trade ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, Ms Obusitswe Tiroesele at the commemoration of The Africa Industrialisation Day held recently under the theme, ‘Industrialising Africa: Renewed Commitment Towards Inclusive and Sustainable  Industrialisation and Economic Diversification’ recently.

She said Botswana’s commemoration of the day which Organisation of African Union, currently African Union in 1989, showed how the nation valued industrialisation.     

As such, she urged different stakeholders including consumers, retailers, distributors and other entities to support the manufacturing sector through purchasing goods made in Botswana. “The public’s purchasing decision is the determinant for the survival and prosperity of manufacturing sector in Botswana,” she said. 

She added that government was committed to improving the business landscape, as witnessed through the reforms spearheaded by the trade ministry in the doing business sphere where they had seen amendment of various laws. 

“We have a real opportunity to promote economic diversification, ensure inclusive growth and sustainable development through our commitment to the industrialisation agenda,” she added.

Also, she indicated that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everybody experienced the need to embrace technology as a catalyst for successful industrialisation.

“This challenge of doing things virtually, has therefore, led us to commemorate the day virtually as we could not forgo our commitment to join other African countries in mobilising our international community towards Industrializing Africa,” she said.  

For her part, Director and founder of Business KRAAL, Ms Neo Tlhaselo, explained industrialisation as the ability for one to be in position to do mass production in the manufacturing industry. 

 Ms Tlhaselo said it had not been easy for Batswana to get into industrialisation mainly due to lack of funds and market.

She however explained that it was on such backdrop that President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi saw the need to review the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) guidelines in an effort to develop Batswana. ENDS