02 Dec 2021

Botswana is determined to utilise international instruments to revive national development decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic,  President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

  Addressing a Uniting Business Africa forum organised by the UN Global Compact virtually yesterday,  he noted that the pandemic had a devastating effect on the economy and livelihoods.

Further noting that the pandemic had affected key sectors such as trade, tourism and the extractive industry, President Masisi said small economies which had pre-existing economic challenges as well as the world’s most vulnerable needed to be protected. 

He said Botswana therefore supported the UN Global Compact’s Africa Strategy set out to provide resources for business revival.

“Global Compact has the ambition to drive inclusive impact in Africa and has designated Botswana among several countries for the first phase of its expansion goals in 2021-22. We reiterate our firm support for this expansion plan,”  he said. 

He revealed that government, in partnership with the UN resident coordinator and Business Botswana, had been working on the establishment of a UN Global Compact local network. 

Dr Masisi informed his audience of Botswana’s Reset Agenda whose key priorities he said were consistent with the Africa Strategy objectives. 

“Firstly, a commitment to save Botswana’s population from COVID-19 through health programmes that include vaccination; reforming the public service to ensure effective implementation; accelerating digitization; promoting value chain development and changing mindsets,” Dr Masisi said. 

Global Compact is an instrument that encourages corporations to take steps that advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to align their strategies with the 10 universal principles related to human rights, labour, the environment and curbing corruption. 

The aim of the forum was to give attendants the opportunity to share ideas and develop collective approaches in driving the Decade of Action towards delivering SDGs.ends