Trading requires something to trade
Monday, May 11, 2020
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is scheduled to kick off on January 1, 2021 with trade between countries that have agreed on tariffs. AfCFTA will potentially be the biggest common market in the world, with 1.27 billion consumers, and an aggregated gross domestic product of up to $3.4 trillion.
For Botswana’s aspirations of an export-led economy, AfCFTA is a dream come true. On the ground, however, is the recurring nightmare of AfCFTA leading to a swamping of the local market by cheap imports, drowning out the little manufacturing capacity available. Voices in certain circles fear that AfCFTA could be a ‘mega-South Africa’, which for decades has overshadowed the local productive sector empowered by the provisions of the SACU agreement.
The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...