F/Town seeks economic boost from national business conference
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday October 21, 2026 11:27
He welcomed delegates expected to converge on Francistown this week, noting that the gathering provides a platform for government, the private sector and other stakeholders to explore practical solutions to Botswana’s economic challenges. Held under the theme, 'From Dialogue to Delivery: Business Driving Economic Transformation', the conference comes at a time when Botswana is seeking increased investment, job creation, stronger economic activity, and greater private-sector participation. Majere added the conference was particularly important for Francistown as it offered an opportunity to showcase the city’s economic potential and attract businesses and investors.
“For us in Francistown, economic transformation must translate into tangible outcomes that people and businesses can see and experience,” he said during the unveiling of the conference at Adansonia Hotel yesterday (Monday). Majere emphasised the need to improve the ease of doing business, develop supporting infrastructure and create opportunities for investment. He noted that the conference itself demonstrated the economic benefits of hosting business events, as delegates’ expenditure on accommodation, transportation, food, entertainment and other services could support local businesses.
According to Majere, hotels, restaurants, transport operators, retailers, and event suppliers stand to benefit from the influx of visitors, making business tourism an important contributor to the city’s economy. He said Francistown should explore opportunities to attract more conferences, exhibitions, regional meetings and corporate events through the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. This, he added, would require collaboration with the private sector to market the city, assess its conference facilities and accommodation capacity, and develop an events calendar. Beyond hosting conferences, Majere said Francistown had the geographical advantage of being strategically located in north-eastern Botswana, with links to Zimbabwe, Zambia, and the wider Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. He said the city needed to build on its historical role as a commercial and transport centre by attracting investment in logistics, manufacturing, agro-processing, mining services, tourism, professional services and technology. “Our aspiration should therefore be to position Francistown not simply as the second city, but as an investment and business hub with its own economic identity,” he said. Majere further highlighted opportunities in public-private partnerships, particularly in property development, markets, tourism facilities, waste management, renewable energy, and transport-related infrastructure. He stated that the Francistown City Council (FCC) was also supporting initiatives aimed at diversifying the local economy, including green energy projects, recycling, ecotourism and efforts to strengthen the horticultural market by connecting local producers with wholesale buyers.
However, he called for stronger collaboration between the FCC, government, Business Botswana and the private sector, urging stakeholders to ensure that concerns raised during consultations translated into practical solutions. Majere noted the success of the conference should ultimately be measured by the policies improved, barriers removed, partnerships established, investments attracted, and opportunities created after the discussions. He urged delegates to consider Francistown beyond its role as the conference venue, describing it as a city with the potential to become a gateway for businesses seeking to access Botswana and neighbouring markets. “We want Francistown to be a place where it is easier to do business, where investors can identify opportunities, where existing businesses can grow and where new businesses can emerge,” the mayor said.