The Energy and Environment Partnership with Southern and East Africa, funded by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, will offer co-funding for feasibility studies aimed at concrete investments as well as pilot and demonstration projects.
The project office is currently being established and it is expected to be ready to evaluate proposals from the beginning of May. For more details (the brochure) about the programme, check our website (www.bih.co.bw) or contact Mr Boiki Mabowe at bmabowe@gov.bw.

For more information >>> Download programme brochure

"The mandate of the Innovation Hub is to attract both local and foreign businesses and organisations that are technology-driven," said Mr. Johnny Swartz, Minister of Infrastructure

...The minister said they are looking for individuals or companies with business ideas ad research results that could b developed into goods and services with potential for commercialisation and export.

He also highlighted that the hub promoted technology development and support skills development through appropriate incentives scheme.

For the full story >>>Botswana Daily News

You can also Download Full response from Minister

ACP-EU commit to sustainable energy to fight climate change

The European Union and the ACP States have agreed to establish a new Energy Facility under the 10th European Development Fund for the period 2009-2013. This Facility will contribute to the objectives established by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in terms of poverty alleviation and environment.

Endowed with €200 Million, the Energy Facility focuses on improving access to sustainable energy services in rural and peri-urban areas while fighting against climate change. Therefore, the new Energy Facility will emphasise the use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures.

The implementation modalities of the Facility funds are:
• €150 M for projects selected through two Calls for Proposals, with a First Call of €100 M launched on 30th of November 2009 and the second one foreseen in 2011;
• €3.5 M to support to energy governance in the ACP countries;
• €40 M for a Pooling mechanism which will co-finance medium-size access projects together

For more information >>> Download the Guidelines for this First Call for Proposals

Parliament endorses Innovation Hub

Parliament has endorsed establishment of the Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH).

Before the adoption of the resolution, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Kenneth Matambo, told Parliament that the hub was one of the tools that government has put in place to accelerate economic diversification and growth as well as create more employment opportunities in order to increase productivity.

The role of BIH is to facilitate the growth of the technology service industry in particular the information and communications technology with the aim of making Botswana an exporter of such value added services.

Furthermore, Mr Matambo alluded to the fact that as a landlocked country, exporting services using the telecommunications and date network offered a new opportunity.

Mr Matambo also highlighted that the hub was set up as a strategy to facilitate the countrys transformation into a knowledge economy. The hub will be a place where our locals will gain professional skills, develop entrepreneurship skills, appreciate international quality standards and therefore become the next generation of business professionals ready for the global challenge.

[Extract from story by Masego Pilane, Botswana Daily News]

For the full story >>> Botswana Daily News

38. At its core, the Botswana Excellence Strategy recognises the need for all of us to adopt a more outward looking mindset that is conducive to accelerated private sector development. In this respect existing and potential investors can be assured of this Government's steadfast commitment to an open society with an open economy in which all who can make a positive contribution are encouraged to do so. In pursuing investment, more especially outside investment, our country will continue to market its comparative advantages, which include our:

• Political and macro-economic stability, with a record of economic growth based on prudent management;
• Relatively educated, adaptable workforce;
• Low rate of taxation when compared to many countries;
• Absence of exchange controls; and
• Superior sovereign credit ratings; along with
• Stable banking institutions that ensure adequate financial resources to cope with exogenous shocks to the economy.

39. We, also recognise the existence of deterrents to investment. Inhibitors such as complexities in the tax code, shortage of industry relevant skills and poor labour productivity can and must be overcome as a matter of urgency. In addition to continued reform of the public service, this calls for a further commitment to the promotion of technological innovation, skills training, and a reduction in barriers to starting up and growing businesses. We are currently working on reviewing our tax regime as well, to make it more simple and relevant. Any new regime we put in place will commence in the next tax year.

40. During my tenure of office employment creation will be driven by the following:

• the six hubs;
• Foreign Direct Investment focusing on mining, tourism, agriculture and manufacturing sectors amongst others;
• import substitution;
• broadening the tourism and agricultural base;
• local procurement preference;
• government schemes such as CEDA, Youth Development Fund and Young Farmers Fund will be given additional resources;
• Construction; and
• Information Technology.

117. Technology: Madam Speaker, our ability to embrace new technologies will be a central determinant of our collective capacity to transform the economy toward an innovative, private sector led diversified growth. To enhance delivery in the areas of science, research and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Cabinet portfolios have been restructured through the creation of two new dedicated Ministries Infrastructure, Science and Technology and Transport and Communications.

118. It is our vision that Botswana will become a nation in which most of our citizens are engaged in knowledge based jobs. In keeping with this vision, we have been establishing an Innovation Hub as a commercial nexus for knowledge creation and innovation. The Hub will cater for ICT and Research and Development companies serving the local and international market. In the context of the financial constraints brought by the global recession, the project is being restructured to give it a corporate character better capable of attracting private equity.

119. In order to efficiently and effectively deliver public services to the people, Government has embarked upon the automation and integration of processes through the e-Government programme. The first major deliverable of e-government is the portal, a single window for accessing online government information, which has been developed and is undergoing testing. The next stage is automation and integration of services, which will start in the next financial year.

120. More broadly, ICT will play a key role in the attainment of Botswana development goals through the creation of conditions and incentives for provision of the widest possible access to ICT, particularly for rural and underserved areas. The Trans-Kalahari fibre optic project that was completed last year will ensure that superior telecommunications infrastructure reaches our major towns and villages, while also provide for Botswanas international connectivity through the neighbouring countries. It is now anticipated that, beginning from next year, Botswana will benefit from being linked to five major cable projects. 
 

For the full address, >>> State of Nation Address

Officiating at the workshop on promoting climate technology and carbon market partnerships in Gaborone on November 4, 2009, the Former President of Botswana and now UN Secretary General Special Envoy on Climate Change, Mr. Mogae said in Botswana and many parts of Africa, the sun is the attractive alternative as the country has 315 cloudless days per year and being along the Tropic of Capricon, the sun is strong.

He highlighted that the objective of the workshop was to share knowledge and facilitate business and partnership opportunities.

Mr Mogae explained that climate change will hit developing countries hardest and they will have the least capacity to fight back.

On other issues, he intimated that at the climate change summit in New York last September, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon explained that greenhouse gas emissions have now reached proportions that can destroy human life if not halted.

Consequently, he highlighted that global emissions would need to be reduced by at least 50 per cent by 2050, in order to starve off the worst effects Africa, he said, which is already short of water for its populations, will suffer further severe droughts and water shortages.

This, he argued, will worsen rural poverty and hamper sustainable development.

He said the UN secretary generals message was that industrialised countries must set ambitious emission targets, but also that developing countries must take appropriate action to mitigate climate, with necessary support.

 [Excerpts from an Article on Botswana Daily News dated November 5th, 2009, Front page]

For the full story >>> Daily News Online

In his inugural speech, His Excellency The President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama had this to say about Botswana moving towards a knowledge society:

8. Closely related to the development of our skills base is the need to move with speed into a knowledge society. Communication, Science and Technology will be key in this. More use of ICT for service delivery, coupled with strengthened research and development, should not only give us greater efficiency, but opportunities for diversification beyond diamonds should be enhanced. Innovation and creativity, especially amongst the youth will be encouraged and promoted. Through communication infrastructure development, access for rural areas and international connectivity, as well as telemedicine will be greatly improved.

9. We have long recognized that the diversification of the economy both within the minerals sector and beyond is a key strategy for our future survival. It is for this reason that considerable investment will continue to go into mineral beneficiation, infrastructure development in all sectors including transport, energy and water. Our research and development institutions therefore, will have a critical role to play in product development. 
 

Source: Excerpts from the inaugural speech by President Khama, on 20th October 2009.

Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) is inviting tenders from reputable Architectural firms for the Design Competition of the Botswana Innovation Hub Headquarters. 

To get the tender details and Guidelines, please go to the Tenders page on www.bdc.bw 

The 2nd and final session of the Open Business Incubation training was held on 17th - 19th of June at BOBS premises. This session of the training built upon the 1st session, which was held in March 2009.

This session covered Essential Skills and Tools for Business Development Advisors, to equip participants with hands-on skills required of business development advisors.

The training was done by Technopolis in collaboration with the Botswana Innovation Hub.

For more information about this, please contact us on bih@gov.bw.

Honourable Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi