04 Mar 2014

All Botswana missions abroad are mandated to seek and lure investors and to direct them to the relevant departments and authorities.

Speaking in Parliament, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Phandu Skelemani said actual negotiations for business deals were a primary responsibility of the implementing ministries and agencies in Botswana.

“In light of the above, progress in any negotiations with potential investors cannot just be determined only by our missions abroad,” he said.

Mr Skelemani said during the last Parliament, he pointed out that there had been some modest progress with the two companies identified and interested to invest in Botswana’s agriculture sector.

He said the companies undertook exploratory business visits to Botswana during the course of 2013 and held discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture with a view to invest in the country. The ministry, he said, was still engaged in discussions with the two companies.

Mr Skelemani said he hoped that investment in agriculture had the potential for rural areas, but noted that the ultimate decision lied with the investor.

The MP for Shoshong, Mr Phillip Makgalemele had wanted the minister to state progress on Botswana’s Diplomatic Mission in China on investment opportunities for rural areas since his last response to Parliament on the matter given that at the time, negotiations were at a sensitive stage. ENDS