Government embraces economic integration efforts
With economic integration dialogue pitched high on different platform – Africa Union, SADC bloc and SACU, government’s commitment to this development is evident.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry will next week hold sixteen non- coastal developing African countries to discuss trade and investment under the Vienna Programme of Action ( VPoA) for the Landlocked Developing Countries ( LLDCs), another attempt to promote economic integration.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Malebogo Morakaladi said the implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action will help Botswana integrate with neighboring countries in the region and the world on trade and related matters.
“It facilitates trade and investment, for example availability of transport, energy and internet infrastructure,” said Morakaladi, adding that the platform also facilitates research and development and industrial development and connectivity, to foster structural transformation and link Botswana to global markets.
The Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries is a decade ( 2014 to 2024) project developed to address special development needs and challenges of landlocked developing countries, arising from remoteness and geographical constraints.
Slated for the 29th and 30th of May, the meeting will also provide a platform and opportunity for VPoA and development partners to review progress made on the implementation. “The meeting will also provide platforms to share best practices and formulate policy recommendations aimed at addressing the vulnerabilities and special needs of LLDCs, as well as accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goals,” said Morakaladi.
Morakaladi further said priority areas of the meeting will be fundamental transit policy issues, infrastructure development and maintenance, covering transport infrastructure and information and communications technology infrastructure.
Other areas, according to Morakaladi will include international trade and trade facilitation, covering integration trade and trade facilitation, regional integration and cooperation, structural economic transformation and means of implementation.