Botswana plunges 10 places in global competitiveness

MPHO TLALE
Correspondent | Monday September 13, 2010 00:00

In the GCI for 2009/2010, Botswana ranked at number 66.

The GCI report indicates lower percentages for performance and basic requirements, efficiency enhancement as well as innovation and sophistication, sections which have been declining since 2008.

A research consultant with Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC), Letsogile Batswetswe says over the past three years, Botswana went down both internationally and in the SADC region.

Batesetswe was speaking at the launch of the report that was organised by BNPC and the World Economic Forum in Gaborone last week. 

In the region, Botswana ranked at number 3 in 2008 but slid to number 4 in 2009. Namibia and Morocco have since toppled Botswana to assume the 3rd and 4th positions respectively in 2010/11, leaving Botswana a poor laggard at position 6.

Also speaking at the launch, Dr Phumzile Thobokwe said the current ranking was a challenge for Botswana to improve. Thobokwe said that it was not about maintaining what a given country had but rather about coming up with ways to enhance growth.

Namibia, which has retained its position 74 from last year, surpasses Botswana in infrastructure and reliable and effective transport while Mauritius beats Botswana in labour market efficiency.

Predictably, the report identifies market size as another challenge for Botswana. But Dr Thobokwe said this should not be an excuse because other countries with similar market sizes had done better.

Technical readiness is also a hindering factor to Botswana's development because not many Batswana have computers and only a handful have access to the Internet. Botswana must also improve on its humanrelated factors such as health and education.

Speaking at the presentation, the Chairperson of the BNPC Board, Festinah Bakwena, said the GCI gave the country an opportunity to reflect on its strengths and weaknesses and that competitiveness should be the driving force behind economic development.

She said the report also offered benchmarking opportunities and made investors aware of opportunities available in the country. Jonathan Oppenheimer of De Beers said countries should understand the basis of competitiveness.

Oppenheimer said partnerships were very important, citing the existing one between De Beers and the Botswana Government as an example.

He said Botswana had room to grow as it had grown from being poor at independence to its current middle-income status.