26 May 2022

Botswana has made strides in some sectors through utilisation of digital technology as one of the World Economic Forum (WEF) dividends.

  Speaking in an interview in Davos Switzerland where he is attending the forum for the third time, President Mokgweetsi Masisi  said the recent Forbes Under 30 Summit, hosted on African soil for the first time by Botswana,  was also born out of WEF exchanges.

 “I intend to ask them to come to Botswana again so that our youth can benefit immensely from such kind of networks, and I want to provide an enabling space for that,” he said, 

President Masisi said Botswana had a lot to offer in the business process outsourcing space as the country’s youth were well resourced and insightful on an array of issues. 

“I want them to tap into opportunities available within the digital space because they are well empowered and educated,” he said.

Saying WEF was an opportunity to exchange insights, get fresh perspectives and gain from advanced solutions offered by the world’s best, the President also described it as a unique platform intended to improve the state of the world.

 In that regard, Dr Masisi said he had previously met with companies with investments in Botswana  and those without adding that so far the in-person exchanges were fruitful. 

The President announced his intention to continue engaging other like-minded business people. 

“I intend to broaden the investment footprints to meet more companies that can set up investment in Botswana and the rest of Southern Africa so that we diversify our economy,” he said 

 To diversify from a mineral-led economy, he said, the Reset Agenda sought to grow digitisation and broaden the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) in order to facilitate young people’s collaboration with others around the globe. 

“We want our people to grow their businesses using digitalisation where they will interact with diverse minds and share skills,” he said. 

President Masisi expressed optimism that meeting intellects through the  WEF platform would help lure investors into the country. 

Minister of Entrepreneurship, Mr Karabo Gare noted that WEF brought together people with the drive and influence to make positive change therefore Botswana could not miss out on the networking opportunity. 

The forum engaged political leaders, business moguls and Non-Governmental Organisations to deliberate on a wide range of issues that affected the world such as food security and climate change  in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. 

Minister Gare said the forum was critical as it provided an opportunity for the country to share its story with the world.

“We are here to also have a stake within the business spaces provided by the world,” he said. 

On the forum’s benefits, the minister said the Saudi Arabian small stock market was one of WEF’s outcomes identified through Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) facilitation. 

Botswana’s economy, he said, could only grow through such kind of collaborations. 

Mr Gare said the new entrepreneurship ministry was ready to exploit further sectors such as agriculture, minerals, education and tourism in order to empower Batswana. 

BITC chief executive officer, Mr Keletsositse Olebile said  the organisation’s  participation at WEF was meant to explore investment and business opportunities and discuss strategies for improving the country’s economic environment. 

The aim of Botswana House at the event, he explained, was to showcase and sell the country to the world. 

“We do all this putting the interests of Batswana at the forefront and we go out there to foster synergies with other business enterprises for skills sharing,” he said. Ends