BEMA challenged to keep up with emerging trading patterns

BABOKI KAYAWE
Staff Writer | Wednesday March 24, 2010 00:00

 

The call was made yesterday, by Acting Minister of Trade and Industry, Maxwell Motowane at the launch of BEMA's three-year strategic plan. Motowane said manufacturers and exporters with good products should be able to venture and compete in the region, which is now a free trade area.  

'We therefore must improve our competitiveness by becoming aware of the market requirements and buyer preferences,' he said. The primary focus of BEMA's three-year strategic plan is to enhance the competitiveness and growth of the country's manufacturing and export sectors. Presenting the strategy, BEMA Strategy Consultant Madei Mangori said the organisation has identified five aspects that would see BEMA live up to its mission of addressing issues related to manufacturing and exports in Botswana through empowerment of its members. These focal points are marketing strategy, communication strategy, BEMA membership strategy, new outlook and BEMA global strategy.

'For BEMA to fully achieve its mandate, there is a need for a strategic foundation that will closely look at the organisation's future, and that of its members,' he said. The aim of the marketing strategy is to ease identification of key partners and to forge strategic alliances. This strategy is also expected to help keep the organisation abreast of national and international trends on export, trade and manufacturing in order to provide networking and trade opportunities for its membership.' We also want to take BEMA to the people, that is through communicating in forums such as this breakfast meeting,' said Mangori. A crucial element to BEMA's communication strategy is the organisation's revamped website. Explaining the features of the revamped website, Charles Opio said the site is built in such a way that all members will be listed and will have their own electronic mail addresses in the mother site. Another feature, he said is the presence of a geographical map embedded in the website where locations of listed members' operational areas will be shown.

' When users click in a given business location, a satellite image of the area will be seen,' Opio said.  As for the global strategy, BEMA envisages building alliances with similar organisations worldwide. The organisation appealed to members to avail sister organisations that they could link with in efforts to make the manufacturing and export sectors of the country competitive.

Formerly known as Exporters Association of Botswana (EAOB), BEMA is a non-governmental Trade Organisation registered under the Botswana Registrar of Societies Act to facilitate global trade and enhance economic growth and diversification from traditional exports to non-traditional exports (manufactured goods and services). Its mission is to address issues related to manufacturing and export in Botswana, and its vision is to be a credible and sustainable influential factor in export and manufacturing in Botswana.