07 Aug 2022

Trade and investment impediments between Botswana and South Africa should be eliminated to accelerate trade and investment between the two countries.

Speaking at the 28th anniversary celebrations of trade and investment relations between the two countries recently, Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mmusi Kgafela said South Africa remained Botswana’s strategic and key trade partner.

“Let me affirm that Botswana remains committed to various bilateral trade agreements with South Africa and as such as it was appropriate to organise a roundtable business forum to discuss pertinent issues that impact trade between the two countries and iron out any bottlenecks that hinder the progress of any trade deal between the two countries,” Minister Kgafela said.

He said it was therefore important for investors from both countries to buttress the importance of building and strengthening strategic trade dimensions, given the regularity and frequency of disruptions to global supply chains in the current times.

He added that South Africa was also Botswana’s major trading partner due to the two countries’ geographical proximity.For his part, South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Ebrahim Patel urged business communities from both countries to refocus their attention and resources towards prospective investment sectors that prevail between the two countries.

“There is need to maximise gains from the country’s bilateral relations and adopt cluster-based development approaches, which prioritises critical sectors with greater beneficiation,” Mr Patel said. He said the two countries shared a special bond of friendship and cordial bilateral relations underpinned by their shared values in many aspects.

“It is of prominent importance for the two countries to strengthen business to business linkages with a view to facilitate trade and investment as well as possible business joint-ventures between the two countries,” he added.

He applauded trade relations between the two countries, which he said were vital for prosperity as well as enhancing livelihoods of their respective citizenry.

South Africa is Botswana’s the major import partner with a market share of about 56.8 per cent in 2021. Botswana benefits from regional economic integration and the facilitation of duty free movement of goods with a common external tariff on goods entering any of the countries from outside SACU. ENDS