Botswana: Following the launch of the Genesis HB Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub earlier, BITC, in partnership with Flanders State of the Art, hosted a networking session for Botswana and Belgium Business communities at 267 Restaurant in Gaborone.
The Flanders region is regarded as the bread basket of Belgium, hosting most of the country’s industry and the city of Antwerp, which is considered the epicentre of the world diamond trade.
The Flanders region also boasts of an excellent record in agricultural production, research and development, and a highly developed tourism and leisure industry.
The event was officiated by the Flemish Minister of Finance, Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage Matthias Diependaele and Botswana Minister of Trade and Industry Mmusi Kgafela.
Speaking at the event, Matthias Diependaele hailed Botswana’s hospitality towards him and his delegation. He said the visit further strengthens bilateral relations that exist between Flanders and Botswana at both political and trade relations levels.
Diependale further added that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Botswana and Flanders signed in 2017 provides a framework for agriculture and tourism, and as such, it is imperative for the two nations to collaborate even more. He added that the diamond trade between the two countries remains significant, as underpinned by the official opening of HB Antwerp earlier.
Giving his remarks, Minister of Trade and Industry Mmusi Kgafela said Botswana has a lot to offer in different areas and urged the Botswana business community to engage with their Flanders counterparts to explore the available opportunities. He assured Flanders Minister and his delegation that their investment in Botswana will be safe, as is attested to by reports on international rankings.
Kgafela highlighted the Government’s intention to re-energise the Doing Business Environment in Botswana. “Our Doing Business Environment has seen many reforms passed, and some are still underway. This is because the business environment is not static. It continuously needs to be sharpened for the country to remain ahead of the pack or competitors as an investment destination of choice.”
In closing, BITC CEO Keletsositse Olebile urged the gathered business communities to network for future business collaborations. He thanked HB Antwerp, who brought a team of EMBA students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who came to learn more about Botswana. Olebile also assured delegates that they commit to making follow-ups with the Flanders delegation.
The networking session was attended by a business delegation from Botswana and Flanders region.