Mathoothe calls for renewed purpose as Trade Ministry turns 60
Laone Choeunyane | Wednesday December 10, 2025 10:30
On Friday, the Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship (MTE) celebrated its diamond jubilee with a Staff Open Day that highlighted both its historic achievements and the urgent economic challenges facing the country. Speaking at the event, Mathoothe urged staff, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to “seize the opportunities before us” and to recommit to building a competitive and inclusive economy.
“For 60 years, our Ministry has been at the heart of Botswana’s economic transformation,” he said, highlighting milestones such as strengthening export development, introducing policies to empower local enterprises, and pushing industrial development and investment promotion. He also reminded attendees of the Ministry’s unexpected historical footprint, pointing out that it once championed environmental legislation, including the declaration of the Chobe Game Reserve as a protected area—now one of the country’s most prized conservation assets. The junior minister, however, warned that while celebrating past successes, Botswana faces a complex global environment requiring sharper policy execution and stronger innovation.
Amongst the challenges he mentioned were limited entrepreneurial culture, skills gaps, barriers to entering global markets, slow adoption of digital trade, and persistent cases of fronting, which undermine citizen economic empowerment. “In every challenge, there is opportunity,” he emphasised. Mathoothe added that the Ministry is expanding early-stage entrepreneurship programmes, accelerating digital trade initiatives, strengthening regional and global trade networks, and driving reforms to improve the ease of doing business. Meanwhile, he reaffirmed MTE’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for trade, supporting entrepreneurs with funding and mentorship, and positioning Botswana as a competitive destination for investment. Additionally, he applauded the Ministry’s staff for their resilience and urged them to maintain the “heartbeat” that has driven the institution for six decades.
“Botswana is, and has always been, a land of opportunity,” he said when addressing senior government officials, parastatal heads and employees. “The future of that opportunity lies in our hands.”
During his address, Mathoothe paid tribute to the generations of public servants who shaped the Ministry from its early days in the 1960s to its current form. He noted that the Ministry’s evolution—from Mines, Commerce and Industry through several structural transformations to today’s Trade and Entrepreneurship mandate—reflects Botswana’s broader economic journey.