13 Mar 2022

 The success of Botswana’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai will depend on follow-ups made after the six-months spectacle which comes to a close end of this month, says President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.
 

Expressing delight that Botswana’s story had been shared with the rest of the world, Dr Masisi said he was hopeful that tangible results would be realised post the exposition.

“Our participation should not be in vain and we should have something tangible to show for our noble efforts here over the past five months,” he said Saturday ahead of Botswana national day at the exposition yesterday.

Saying Botswana’s participation at the expo provided a great opportunity to forge partnerships with a view to advance the country’s National Development Agenda, the President said it was through smart collaborations that new business streams and mutually beneficial value chains could be realised.

He called upon Batswana to vigorously pursue the partnerships established in order to convert them into investment deals.

President Masisi urged attendants to gather as much useful information as possible in order to share it with the rest of Batswana who did not have the opportunity to attend the expo.

He pointed out that the objective of the mindset change priority outline in the Reset Agenda was to effectively facilitate Batswana to participate in entrepreneurship.  

“This is the approach I wish for us to adopt in order to take our country forward,” he stated.

Dr Masisi said government would continue implementing strategic reforms to support investors as well as coming up with new ways of improving the ease of doing business in Botswana to enable businesses to prosper as ways towards the attainment of high-income status by 2036.

Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Lemogang Kwape said he was hopeful that the engagements made thus far would contribute to attainment of the Reset Agenda, Economic Recovery and Transformation Agenda, Vision 2036 and National Development Plan 11.

He also expressed delight that the exposition presented an opportunity for Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to network with global entrepreneurs and establish business connections in order to facilitate growth.

Dr Kwape described SMMEs as a strategic and priority sector adding that they should graduate and move up the business ladder.

He said the exposition was also an important economic springboard because it rekindled business connections which would help reignite the economy in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Acting Debswana managing director, Ms Linnet Armstrong declared her company’s commitment towards supporting government in investment prepositions.

She said diamonds would continue to sell Botswana to the world as a country that valued the integrity and value chains brought about by the gems.

“Our diamonds tell how we are perceived by the world,” she stated. ENDS