08 Jan 2026

Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe bilateral engagements with African Development Bank (AfDB) president, Dr Sidi Ould Tah will focus on extending the bank’s technical support and capacity building assistance to accelerate the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme.

Mr Ndaba, who is also Minister of Finance is in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire where he is attending the inaugural Strategic Dialogues of the African Development Bank Group and later undertake a working visit to Georgia.

According to a press release from Ministry of Finance, the duo’s engagements will also explore innovative financing solutions that can be deployed at scale to support Botswana’s development priorities

Further the release states that the meeting will consider collaboration with the AfDB on the possible establishment of a Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Industrialisation Fund.

The ministers of finance for both Botswana and South Africa have been tasked to engage the bank of the initiative.

Meanwhile, the release states that following his engagements in Abidjan, Vice President Gaolathe will undertake a working visit to Georgia from January 12 to 15.

He is expected to engage with ministers and senior government officials on the design and implementation of Georgia’s funding systems, with a view to informing Botswana’s ongoing efforts to restructure and strengthen its financing architecture in support of private sector growth and job creation

Georgia has been identified as a country with an effective funding architecture, particularly in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, innovation and productive sectors.

Vice President Gaolathe is expected back home on January 16. BOPA