Gov’t notes public criticism over frequent overseas travel
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Wednesday May 28, 2025 09:46
According to Gaolathe, whilst travel plays a vital role in building confidence, fostering partnerships, and meeting statutory obligations not all trips are indispensable.
The VP was officiating as acting president whilst President Duma Boko was away on a state visit to Estonia during the 29th Business Botswana Northern Trade Fair held last week at BB Grounds in Gerald Estate.
Over the last month, Batswana have taken to social media to openly criticise the frequent overseas trips undertaken by top government officials including Cabinet ministers despite the country’s economic status.
In his address, he said that moving forward, they will exercise greater scrutiny and prudence to ensure that every mission delivers tangible value to the country.
“At the same time, we must not miss out on strategic opportunities, particularly where travel is fully funded by partners or organisers, so long as it aligns with national priorities and offers clear benefits to Botswana,” Gaolathe added.
He also assured attendants that experiencing fiscal pressure and economic downturn is not incompatible with bold transformation.
Additionally, Gaolathe recognised that previous economic strategies have fallen short in addressing the scale and complexity of today’s economic challenges.
Therefore, he said that government, through the Ministry of Finance, has resolved to lead the development of a new and defining Economic Transformation Strategy, one that will mark a turning point in Botswana’s economic history.
“This strategy will not be just a document but a national playbook, clear in vision, collective in ownership, and relentless in execution. Grounded in rigorous research and sound economic science, this blueprint will align all ministries, sectors, and institutions under a single, transformative national vision to be executed over the next five years,” he added.
Gaolathe elaborated that it has long been assumed that Botswana’s mineral wealth automatically translates into a competitive advantage in the mineral sector.
He stated that they will not rely on assumptions but will go beyond reasonable doubt to scientifically uncover Botswana’s true sources of competitive strength.
Prior, he said, the country stands at a significant crossroads as in the past year, their economy contracted by three percent, and it is projected to contract by 0.4 percent in 2025.
“When we say the economy has contracted, it means something very real. It means small businesses struggling to stay afloat, companies scaling back operations, and entrepreneurs shelving ideas because the risk is simply too high,” he explained.
He stated that it is clear that our longstanding dependence on diamonds has become not only a vulnerability, but a strategic liability.
Gaolathe also said that implementation of the 2025–2026 financial year’s budget is on its second month and economic performance is unfavourable as the fiscal space remains constrained, and is driving liquidity challenges across the economy.
Furthermore, the Government Investment Account (GIA) is unable to absorb high volumes of payments due to low cash inflows, he added.
“When we assumed leadership, we did so with a sober understanding of the new economic reality before us. With a muted diamond outlook and growing fiscal constraints, it became clear that if we are to steer this country through uncertainty and more importantly, set it on a path of inclusive, modern growth we could not rely on business as usual,” he continued.
Gaolathe further said they needed to go into the world to look for and forge partnerships, to secure funding, and to present Botswana as a destination for strategic, long-term investment.
He stated that they have been engaging with local and global investors, multilateral development institutions, and key decision-makers across regional and international platforms over the past months.
Gaolathe stated that they are beginning to see early signs of progress — with new investments being scoped, partnerships forming, and some concessional funding discussions successfully concluded whilst others continue to advance.
“These gains could never be secured from behind a desk in Gaborone,” he said.
Additionally, the VP elaborated that they are witnessing encouraging signs of investor appetite with several infrastructure players having expressed strong interest in developing projects across sectors from energy to logistics, water infrastructure to digital connectivity.
He stated that these partnerships do not just materialise, they are built through engagement, trust, and shared vision.
This is why high-level missions and face-to-face negotiations with credible investors and governments are not only justified 'they are essential', he added.