IMF raises forecasts for Botswana economy

Released yesterday, the IMF's World Economic Outlook Report April 2011 suggests Botswana's real GDP will rise further by 6.6 percent in 2012, enabling the country to beat the sub-Saharan averages of 5.5 percent and 5.9 percent for 2011 and 2012 respectively.

However, the latest projections are lower than government's expectations of a 6.8 percent growth for 2011, followed by 7.1 percent for 2012. In February, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Kenneth Matambo, said these projections were dependent on mining growing by 15 percent and 6.2 percent for 2011 and 2012 respectively.