12 Jul 2024

Okavango Diamond Company has sponsored the Botswana Tennis Association with P250 000, which will go towards the Tennis World Cup (Davis Cup) Africa Group V event.

The tournament will be played from June 17-20 and 15 African countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique, Congo, Gabon, Seychelles, Mauritania, Lesotho, Djibouti, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan and Libya will participate.

The countries will be competing for two spots for promotion to Africa Group IV. Speaking during the sponsorship launch on July 12, Okavango Diamond Company Chief Financial Officer, Lipalesa Makepe said they believed in fostering sport to diversify and grow the economy.

She said the hosting of the Davis Cup does not only strengthen Team Botswana's competitive edge but also aligned with the company's strategy in boosting tourism and creating jobs. Botswana Tennis Association president Oaitse Thipe said Davis Cup was one of the oldest and biggest annual competitions.

He said Davis Cup was first hosted in the 1900s, adding that the last time Botswana hosted it was in 2006.

“It has been a while since we hosted this event, so it is very important as the tournament will bring a lot of value to the country. Our airline and hotels will get value from this competition,” he said. Ends