The decision was announced by President Mokgweetsi Masisi recently as he unveiled the rationalization of Ministries and State-Owned Enterprises (SOE).
Under the new arrangement, the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) and the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) will merge into a single entity.
BEMA Chief Executive Officer Mmantlha Sankoloba hailed the decision as a step in the right direction that would ensure proper coordination of government’s investment attraction efforts.
“Such a development will ensure that investors get to hear a single and coordinated voice from Botswana, unlike in the current set-up where various organisations carry out their own investment promotion activities without proper coordination,” she said. “It makes sense to have a single entity focusing on investment promotion activities.”
BEMA facilitates manufacturing and export by empowering members through the provision of networking and trade opportunities. BEMA incorporates exporters, manufacturers and service providers and assists them to be more competitive in both local and international markets.
SEZA, BITC, and BTO have been separately carrying out their investment promotion activities across various sectors such as mining, tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, and business processing and logistics.
