03 Sep 2025

A total of 200 projects drawn from seven key sectors have been selected for development under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) out of more than 6 000 submissions.

The shortlisted projects fall within agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, financial services, digitalisation, tourism, energy, water, mining and social sectors.

Delivering the keynote address in Gaborone on September 3, President Advocate Duma Boko said only the most impactful and strategic proposals remained after a rigorous selection process.

“Over the past few weeks, visionary women and men from across Botswana and beyond our borders have united in purpose to reimagine our economy, our Botswana. For we cannot achieve the change that we want if we cannot imagine it,” President Boko said.

He said the private sector players, social entrepreneurs, innovators, and development partners, both locally and internationally, had shown readiness to collaborate with government in building a Botswana that stands tall on the global stage.

“I am happy to note that what began as an ambitious exercise has yielded a body of work that positions Botswana for a new era of growth and prosperity,” he said.

President Boko revealed that bankable projects in agriculture had been identified to transition the country from import dependence toward both import substitution and export orientation, ensuring food security while creating livelihoods.

“In just four weeks, the financial services and digitalisation lab produced a comprehensive mapping of our national digital landscape and ecosystem,” he added.

For his part, Vice President, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe said the launch of BETP was never about drafting plans, but about daring to disrupt, redefining destiny, and demonstrating that Botswana does not wait for change but makes change.

“It was not easy to select a small number from the thousands. From these, 200 projects were chosen to enter the transformation labs,” he said.

He explained that some of the selected projects were ready for immediate execution with government facilitation, while others were categorised as new opportunities.

“Refinements are ongoing and the final report will clearly indicate how each project has been classified,” he said. ENDS