EU-Botswana business forum headlines Global Expo
Pauline Dikuelo | Tuesday October 10, 2023 06:00
The Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) will host the 17th Edition of the Expo under the theme ‘AfCFTA as a springboard for improved Intra-Africa trade’ and a key feature of this year’s edition will be the business forum which starts on Wednesday.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mmusi Kgafela said the EU-Botswana business forum offers locals an opportunity to explore new investment and trade opportunities between Botswana and European investors, private sector organisations, chamber of commerce, public institutions, policy makers and financial institutions.
“The support by EU shows their strong commitment in assisting SADC countries to implement the SADC-EU Partnership Agreement,” he said at a media briefing recently. The Forum will give delegates and participants an opportunity to participate in business to business sessions and roundtables and informative workshops on targeted sectors.
The sectors earmarked are life sciences, health and pharmaceuticals, financial and business services, manufacturing including automobile, e-mobility and energy, ICT and innovation and mineral beneficiation.
About 100 delegates from the EU are expected to grace this occasion. The Global Expo is a premier business to business and multi-sectoral exposition aimed at attracting foreign direct investment into Botswana. This is done through foreign companies exhibiting at the Expo as well as to promote goods and services produced in Botswana to the international markets.
It also aims to facilitate sustainable business and their foreign counterparts through targeted one-on-one meeting using the Global Expo Botswana signature programme called the Business Matchmaking Programme. Through this programme, joint venture partnerships and other forms of cooperation between local and international business partners are facilitated.
BITC CEO, Keletsositse Olebile urged the local businesses to take advantage of these opportunities noting that they aim to generate P30 million worth of business deals, local spending and sale of products during the event.
“The business community needs to also strive to make deals at these expos, our team will be available to assist where they need guidance,” he said. BITC is expecting 500 delegates to participate at the Expo, 300 companies to exhibit and an estimated total of 4,000 visitors.