The Government of Botswana is forging stronger ties with the local business community to enhance efficiency and achieve impactful results. Through public-private partnerships, the government is accelerating efforts to build public trust and garner widespread support.
This was said by the Vice-President and Minister of Finance, Ndaba Gaolathe, at the opening of the 29th Business Botswana Northern trade fair in Francistown this week. Gaolathe emphasised this strategic direction while also noting that procurement services are progressing toward transparency, fairness, competitiveness, and inclusivity — a shift being driven by the active involvement of the private sector in delivering key national mandates.
Gaolathe stressed the importance of creating diverse platforms for public and private sector networking, stating that such collaboration is crucial for sustainable economic growth.
“A diversified, inclusive, future-ready Botswana is within reach if all sectors join hands,” he said. “I have consistently said that the future of our country lies in smart partnerships. The kind of partnerships we seek are those that leverage the expertise, agility, and accountability mechanisms of the private sector.”
Addressing the need for economic diversification, Gaolathe acknowledged the risks posed by Botswana’s heavy reliance on diamonds.
“It is clear that our longstanding dependence on diamonds has become not only a vulnerability but a strategic liability,” he remarked. “This is not abstract economics — it is our current reality, but it does not have to be our destiny. We must venture into the world, knock on doors, and forge meaningful partnerships. These gains can not be secured from behind a desk in Gaborone.”
