NDP 11 spadework begins
Brian Benza | Friday June 6, 2014 16:05
Finance ministry officials told BusinessWeek on Wednesday that Botswana leading economists Dr Happy Fidzani and Morago Ngidi have been roped in as the consultants to draft Botswana’s next economic roadmap, National Development Plan 11 (NDP11).
According to the officials, the objective of the NDP 11 is to review the performance of the economy during NDP 10, identify challenges and constraints encountered in implementing NDP 10.
The Plan also aims to identify new strategies that can be implored to address current challenges, drive the economy forward, outline policy reforms, and identify programmes and projects that can be implemented during the plan period. Premised of four thematic working groups, NDP 10 is a three-pronged economic and social developmental strategy that seeks to create a private sector enabling and supportive policy environment and enhance competiveness in both goods and services markets.
“The consultants started work this week and their scope of work will be to suggest and make recommendations on the economic road map. They will also be tasked with reviewing and appraising past development plans as well as identify priority areas going forward. The plan is to present the draft document to parliament for approval in the July 2015 sitting,” said the official.
During the preparation of the NDP 11, as has been the case with the previous plans, extensive consultation will be carried out with various stakeholders – the local authorities, private sector, trade unions, non-governmental Organisations, thematic working groups, government ministries and Cabinet.
The preparation of NDP 11 draft is being coordinated by the secretary for Economic and Financial Policy in the ministry, Taufila Nyamadzabo. Key areas that the consultants will look at include providing an assessment of international and regional economy, trading relationships and their implications for the Botswana economy during NDP 11.
“They will also be expected to provide macroeconomic forecasts for the period 2014/15 to 2021/22 in line with approved Government strategies going forward.
Provision of detailed government budget including manpower, development and recurrent expenditure for the entire NDP 11 Plan period is also expected from the experts,” added the official.
The consultants will also work with Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) to develop strategic objectives and policy thrusts for NDP 11.
Under NDP10, which spans from 2009-2016, major issues were grouped into four TWGS, namely economy and employment, Social upliftment, Sustainable Environment, and Governance, Safety and Security.
While considerable progress has been achieved on most issues under the TWGs, the midterm review of NDP10 suggest the ‘prosperity for all’ economic growth rate target of 7.5 percent by 2016 will not be attained.
Botswana’s economic growth which hovered at an average 8.7 percent in the period 1996–2001 slowed down to 4.4 percent during 2002–2006 before further easing to an average 3.9 percent in the first three and half years of NDP 10(2009-2012).
“This clearly depicts a situation where the economy is progressively falling short of attaining the Vision 2016 economic growth target of 7.5 percent which was meant to ensure “prosperity for all,” read the mid-term report.
According to the report, the remaining part of NDP 10, period up to 2016, will aim at achieving accelerated economic growth through strengthening of national resource allocation as well as increasing policy effectiveness.