Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana through its flagship programmes is committed not only to improving the livelihoods of the people but to also tap on its relationship with the global society and open up trade routes.
President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said this during a courtesy call by officials from Global Citizen, a US based largest global youth movement with a membership of more than 12 million.
President Masisi said through the second phase of the Transitional National Development Plan, the country had committed a lion’s share of its budget to the development of infrastructure, creating an ambient environment for potential investors.
Dr Masisi said Global Citizen aimed at empowering people to engage in projects and use the power of arts to fight global poverty.
He stated that the country’s vision was consistent with its commitment to building a knowledge based economy, adding that optimising national science and technology would drive its dream of providing an ambient environment for the creatives to excel.
The President said the country was on a journey of building an enabling ecosystem.
Furthermore, Dr Masisi said the creative industry must never be undermined as it had the power to drive the economy of a country.
Therefore, he said it was important to broaden and re-engineer the arts and culture industry.
He also informed Global Citizen officials that the country was currently engaged in an ambitious bid to host the AFCON2027.
As such, President Masisi said he wholeheartedly embraced the idea of Global Citizen viewing Botswana as a potential destination for investment.
“We have intention of doing things we have never done. We worked hard to host the memorable US-Africa summit. We hosted activities that we had never imagined. We want to step up and do more. Our population will never be a deterrent. We will put our money on things that matter the most,” said President Masisi.
Meanwhile, chief executive officer and co-founder of Global Citizen, Mr Hugh Evans said the company was inspired by President Masisi and the country’s vision which aimed at developing and diversifying the economy.
Mr Evans said Global Citizen was here to build capacity in the technological space hence the company was proposing a 10-year commitment with the country to host the Global Citizen Festival.
He said the volunteer movement focused on eradicating abject poverty, therefore its members were engaged in doing projects that aimed at addressing poverty.
Mr Evans said other than engaging its volunteers in undertaking poverty eradication projects, the organisation had also staged world class Global Citizen Festival with messages equally focused on fighting poverty.
“We recruit millions into the war against global poverty,” he said.
The Global Citizen Festival, he said, had significant impact on the host country as it was not only focused on utilising the local talent in the arts and culture industry, but had imparted in them requisite skills that would enable them to host world class events.
Mr Evans pointed that the volunteer movement was committed to working with world class artists, bringing them to Botswana to train locals to global stardom and create employment.
He said bringing the movement to Botswana had the potential to promote cultural tourism, by using the arts and culture industry.
Mr Evans said Global Citizen wanted to develop a vision that would empower the youth of Africa.
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