Botswana, like so many other countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region, has recently seen a change of President.
President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi took office earlier this year and appears from the outset to be pushing a more pro-business, outward looking and open to foreign investment approach.
“We are accommodating of new investors through the small amount of tax they pay, and have even provided an international financial services centre,” President Masisi wrote for AfricaLive.
As the country look to diversify its economy away from diamonds, a key pledge of Masisi’s first address to Parliament as President, one area it will look to focus on is to encourage foreign investment.
“Our commitment to remove barriers, should encourage those with the capital to come on board. Where we fall short, we may be willing to engage in a private-public partnership (PPP) to meet that.
We ask whether Botswana is ready to position itself as a financial destination for the African mainland and what can this new outward looking, Botswana achieve.
