Sluggish mining retards economic growth

The rise in power generation at Morupule B helped moderate the effects of the mining sector slump on GDP
The rise in power generation at Morupule B helped moderate the effects of the mining sector slump on GDP

A fall in production in the mining sector slowed down the economic growth rate in the second quarter of the year, figures released this week by Statistics Botswana show.

On a year-on-year basis, SB announced that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was at 4.5 percent in the second quarter of 2014 from 7.3 percent in the same quarter of last year. The economy grew by 5.2 percent in the first quarter of this year.

According to SB, the largest contributor to a slower economic growth rate was a fall in mining output, predominantly diamond and copper.

Editor's Comment
Batswana need to do better to stop FMD

It is a clear signal that the government’s purse is empty and that our own behaviour has left veterinary officials fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. We have been here before. During COVID-19, many of us thought we knew better. We ignored simple rules, we carried on as if the danger was someone else’s problem, and the virus took lives and left our economy on its knees. We are still broke from that experience. Yet now, with FMD...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up