Trade Hub: Obliterating Africa�s trade bottlenecks
Friday, August 21, 2015
Kevin O'loughlin
Business Week: Despite the majority of activities of USAID being regional in nature, which ones did certainly target Botswana as a direct beneficiary?
Kevin O’Loughlin: The Trade Hub is working closely with the government of Botswana to develop the National Single Window, which will connect all users to a single electronic data information exchange platform in order to reduce the time and cost of trade.
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...