BITC Markets Botswana Investment Climate on DSTv
Pauline Dikuelo | Monday August 4, 2014 14:54
Speaking during a media tour on Wednesday, CEO, Letsebe Sejoe said the shows would air on BBC and elsewhere on DSTv as a way of promoting Botswana as an investment destination and attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
The television programme will be entitled “Doing Business in Botswana”.
“This will be followed up by a ‘Business In Botswana’ show on Gabz FM the same month and we will further have a ‘Botswana Campaign’ on BBC news as well,” he said.
“We will also roll out the Botswana Brand Immigration stamp at borders.”
According to Sejoe these initiatives are part of BITC’s strategy to attract FDI and thus contribute to the economy.
“We are positive that the media will help us to sell Botswana to international markets,” Sejoe told journalists.
“All these shows will be basically showcasing the potential that Botswana has as an investment centre.”
Earlier this year, the BITC launched the Business Facilitation Services Centre to assist and facilitate investors to receive services needed without going from one government office to the other. The facilitation has helped most investors to attain their work and resident permits, trade licensing, land and factory space acquisition, utilities connections, bank accounts and environmental approvals as a way of making the business environment smoother for them.
“Our One Stop initiative has borne some results as we recorded a low rejection rate for investors facilitated through BITC from 25-30 percent to five percent. There is even a reduction of permits pending outside the turnaround times,” he said.
During the tour of the factory shells, it was revealed that there are 35 companies occupying the BITC factory shells which are 100 percent occupied by companies dealing with manufacturing activities such as chemicals, packaging, furniture, electrical wiring, diamond cutting and polishing.
The Factory shells, which are located at Mogoditshane, Broadhurst industrial, G-West Industrial and Block Eight, cover 47,215 square meters.
Sejoe also noted that they have identified new export markets in Malawi, Angola, DRC, United States of America, Serbia, Germany, Italy and Nigeria where some six new product lines of toilet paper, machinery lubricants, pharmaceuticals, cement and treated gum poles will be exported.
“Currently there are 20 companies enrolled under our Export Development Programme and these have completed scoping and market surveys for Zimbabwe and Namibia,” said Sejoe.
Last month, the Public Accounts Committee argued that there were no results showing the Trade Ministry’s success in export development and diversification.
Members argued that the country did not have the right ingredients for global competitiveness, such as skills, infrastructure and technology.