- Tsaone Segaetsho
The Government of the Republic of Botswana on Tuesday morning unveiled its Economic Transformation Programme, a bold initiative anchored on four strategic pillars designed to propel the nation beyond its diamond-dependent economic paradigm.
Presiding over the official launch, President Duma Boko underscored the profound significance of the programme, describing it as a roadmap to fundamentally reshape Botswana’s economic landscape.
“Our economy is at an inflection point. It calls for action. It cries out for transformation and therefore against this shortlist of ambiguities and flaws, I’m here to announce, declare and intransigently defend an agenda built around four action points,” he stated.
The President elaborated that the first action point centres on steering Botswana from a resource-based economy towards a diversified, services-led model—one that generates high-value employment, attracts long-term investment, and fosters globally competitive institutions.
The second action point focuses on positioning Botswana as a regional hub for cross-border financial services, capitalising on the country’s emerging potential in this sector.
The third pillar seeks to leverage Botswana’s legal certainty, political stability and esteemed international reputation as a means to enhance investor confidence and economic engagement.
“The fourth action point is to deliver economic value in alignment with that charter of aspirations that is the manifesto of the current government,” he added, noting that this agenda aims to drive a structural shift that reinforces macroeconomic stability, fortifies resilience against external shocks, and promotes a broader, more equitable growth trajectory.
President Boko further announced that, under the stewardship of the National Planning Commission, the programme will enlist the expertise of PEMANDU Associates to develop precise, measurable objectives that will position Botswana as a premier investment destination and economic powerhouse.
Drawing parallels with nations such as the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, Boko asserted that this marks the commencement of the most ambitious economic plan ever pursued by a Botswana government—signalling a transformative chapter in the country’s development journey.
