Afreximbank still open to Botswana loan deal
Friday, June 21, 2024 | 460 Views |
Art of the deal: Kale speaking on the sidelines of the Afreximbank annual meeting last week
A high powered team from the Cairo-headquartered bank spent days in the country two years ago hammering out the details of the proposed funding, which was intended to be spread out over three years.
However, no firm ground could be found, with reports that Finance Ministry technocrats were unimpressed with the loan’s terms. The offer would have been the first time the pan-African trade bank partnered directly with government, as its previous deals in the country have been limited to private sector support.
That rare sight deserves heartfelt praise, not only for President Duma Boko and his administration, but also for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), the Mogae family, and the entire country.President Boko’s decision to grant a full state funeral to a man who belonged to a rival party was a mark of true statesmanship. He recognised that national leadership carries a weight that belongs to the whole...