Africa-Press – Botswana. The Botswana-Estonia business forum is expected to lure investors in the digital and innovation space as well as position Botswana as destination of choice to foreign direct investors across all sectors.
The Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Mr Tiroeaone Ntsima said in an interview on the sidelines of President Advocate Duma Boko’s State Visit to Estonia that the forum would also avail a space to explore new investment and trade opportunities for captains of industries, investors, private sector organisations, chambers of commerce, public institutions, policymakers and financial institutions.
Mr Ntsima also said one of the key areas of focus during the State Visit would be to improve trade relations between the two countries and channel resources toward prospective investment sectors that prevailed between them.
“Following a decline in the natural diamond market, which triggered an economic downturn since they generate the bulk of state revenue, it has been government intent to outline an ambitious agenda to restructure Botswana’s economy, foster trust in governance and attract Foreign Direct Investment by introducing measures to simplify bureaucracy and update laws to create a business-friendly environment,” Mr Ntsima said.
He said through governance reforms, economic restructuring and a focus on sustainability, Botswana was poised to create a competitive and diversified economy.
Additionally, he said it was important for Botswana to buttress the prominence of building and strengthening strategic trade dimensions, given the strong bilateral and historic ties it held with many countries.
He also highlighted the importance to eliminating trade and investment impediments between Botswana and potential trading partners to accelerate investment in Botswana and promote the easy of doing business reforms.
“Let me affirm that Botswana remain committed to various bilateral trade agreements with legit partners and as such, it was appropriate to organise the business forum to discuss pertinent issues that impacts trade between the two countries and iron out any bottleneck that hinders the progress of any trade deal between the two countries,” he said.
He noted that it was vital the two countries to strengthen business-to-business linkages with a view to facilitate trade and investment as well as possible business joint ventures between the two countries.
He said Botswana was equally resolute on industrialisation and value addition therefore and improved trade diplomacy would be pivotal toward attaining the country’s industrialisation drive.
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