15 Dec 2022

Botswana’s participation at the just-ended US-Africa Leaders’ Summit has been hailed as a success attributable mainly to the leader of delegation, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s  many side meetings to sell the country.

“Our delegation has had many fruitful side meetings and contacts have been made with different sectors that will in the near future come to fruition,” said Botswana’s ambassador to the US Mr Kitso Mokaila in an interview at the end of the three-day summit in Washington DC.
Mr Mokaila said success had been registered in getting investors to see Botswana as the preferred destination for investment through its value proposition of being a safe haven.

He said corporates with a foothold in Africa were willing to invest in the ‘safe haven’ as a springboard for the rest of the continent.Ambassador Mokaila said some deals that had been made would empower youth, women and Batswana at large through a beehive of profitable activities that would come with hosting the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) summit and Forbes Under 30 summit next year.

“This means that big corporates will be coming to Botswana during the CCA and this will also boost our tourism and other sectors,” he said adding that there would be many spillover effects from hosting the two events.
He said the President’s participation at the Brookings Institution’s Africa Growth Initiative was an added advantage as the organisation was a bouncing board for America’s congress and played a critical role in policy recommendations.
  Mr Mokaila said this year’s  summit differed from the one held in 2014 because this time around, it was not only about America’s aspirations but considered ways of collaboration.
The agenda was about incorporating participating countries’ interests and priorities,   he said.

Ambassador Mokaila said the engagement focused on how America could work with Africa to set up companies in the continent and not export jobs.
The ambassador said through the  summit,  America hoped to reset relations with African leaders who had been heavily courted by other powerful countries that had expanded their influence in the continent.

Mr Mokaila said that was a compelling need for the US-Africa engagement especially since the African Continental Free Trade Agreement was expected to catalyse competitive value chains across Africa.
 “Americans want to position themselves in Africa because they see it as a big market, that is why big corporates are present in this summit,” he said.

In his address, US President Joe Biden announced new investments in Africa aimed at boosting trade and infrastructure.
He also announced a new initiative to enhance Africa’s  participation in the digital economy which included collaborations between Microsoft and Viasat to bring internet access to at least five million Africans.

In addition, President Biden pledged America’s support for innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. The US International Development Finance Corporation was investing $370 million in Africa to increase access to clean energy, supply farmers with critical fertilizers and assist companies supplying communities with clean water, he revealed. ENDS