Botswana eyes AfCFTA breakthrough
Friday, February 03, 2023 | 370 Views |
Making history: Presidentm Masisi signing onto the AfCFTA in Addis Ababa in 2019. Most African countries have ratified it PIC: BW GOVT FACEBOOK
AfCFTA, which came into operation last year, is an African Union trade deal that grants easier access to the continent’s 1.2 billion people who collectively represent a market valued at more than $2.6 trillion.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi signed onto the AfCFTA in 2019 making Botswana the 51st of 54 African nations to agree in principle to the continental trade deal. Since then Botswana has been hammering out the modalities of the deal both as a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and at the African Union level.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...