Botswana: Botswana as a developing country is faced with high unemployment rates, and there is a need, therefore, to grow the public and private sectors to groom the youth, unemployed and underemployed to be employers and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
This has prompted Ministry of Entrepreneurship to partner with ABSA BANK BOTSWANA to sign an MoU that signifies “a Ground breaking barrier, to equip and enable Botswana’s future entrepreneurs”.
In her keynote address at the MoU signing held in Gaborone at Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, Deputy Permanent Secretary-DPS in the Ministry of Entrepreneurship Ms. Helen Chilisa cited that “both the public and private sector need to actively co-create solutions that enable wealth creation for the country”.
DPS- Chilisa further added that ministry has been tasked with putting in place policies that enhance entrepreneurship in Botswana, with the main areas of focus being; Enterprise Development and Coordination, Small Business Development Policy, Integrated Support to Small and Micro Enterprises and Coordination of Value Chains amongst others.
Meanwhile on behalf of ABSA Bank Botswana, Mr. James Nthoyi: Head of Markets at Absa Bank Botswana who was holding fort for MD, Keabetswe Pheko-Moshagane, echoed similar sentiments as he highlighted that “this MoU marks a significant milestone in the effort to support growth and development of Entrepreneurship in Botswana. This reaffirms their commitment in terms of supporting entrepreneurship”.
In conclusion as part of the Ministry’s mission to support entrepreneurial endeavors, the ministry has value chain projects coming up tailor-made for citizens to participate in precisely Leather Park, Business Hubs, Agro processing centers and MCDX amongst others.