SUN Quickies

BLACK FRIDAY WORRIES COVID 19 TASK TEAM

Professor Mosepele Mosepele of the Covid-19 Presidential Task force has pleaded with Batswana to avoid crowding at various shops around the country this Friday as a number of businesses plan to take advantage of the global Black Friday promotional sale to entice more customers than usual. Mosepele expressed worry that post the Friday excitement, there could be a surge in the number of new cases of corona virus, that already are on the rise. Botswana registered 398 new COVID19 cases over three days between November 16 and 19, 386 of which are Batswana. This brings the total for Batswana cases to 8531 and recoveries stand at 7692. The country has conducted 398 311 tests of which 277 928 are local tests. Total deaths recorded remain at 31. Professor Mosepele has pleaded with business owners to come up with creative measurers of reaching out to customers without compromising their health.

CROSS BORDER PASSENGER TRAVEL RESUMES

Cross border passenger travel will resume next week from the 1st of December. It involves five (5) border entry points - Tlokweng border gate, which will allow routes from Gaborone to Zeerust and Gaborone to Johannesburg; Ramatlabama and Martins Drift borders that also go into South Africa; Ramokgwebana border for routes into Zimbabwe; Kazungula border for those traveling to Zambia; as well as Mamuno border for those crossing into Namibia. Ramotswa and Sikwane borders will remain closed. Operators are urged to ensure compliance with COVID protocols including masks and sanitising. They are also advised to ensure that travellers or passengers present a COVID 19 negative certificate with a 72-hour validity period. All vehicles should observe the proper loading capacity.

UB VIRTUAL GRADUATION NEXT WEEK

University of Botswana will deliver its first-ever virtual graduation next week Thursday during which over two thousand (2000) graduates who completed fourth and fifth year classes will be hoping to make it into the job market. Despite the ceremony being virtual, the usual graduation programme will be followed with President Mokgweetsi Masisi and former Ambassador John Newman among others, expected to deliver messages.

KHAWA DUNE CHALLENGE COMING

The Khawa Dune Challenge motorsport and tourism flagship programme is slated for April next year. According to information from Kgalagadi District Commissioner’s office, the event, which promotes sporting and adventure activities in the Kgalagadi District will be held from April 30 to May 1. It will be hosted in accordance with COVID-19 protocols that will be applicable during that time. To ensure the event’s success, formal preparations will start in January 2021.

INNOVATIVE WAYS OF INVESTING IN AGRICULTURE

Innovative Agricultural Forum of Botswana will host an agricultural forum this Friday afternoon at Plot No.22120 Gaborone West Industrial to launch innovative ways of investing in Agriculture. As at end of August this year, Botswana’s food import bill was P5, 6 billion. The forum co-hosted with African Agriculture PtyLtd (AA), Business Botswana (BB) and Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) will come up with strategies of self-reliance and food security for the country that will assist it and other sub Saharan countries to sustain themselves in food production and reduce reliance on imported goods mostly food. Topics tackled will include promotion of local manufacturers of agricultural equipment; government’s assistance to local manufacturers; self-sufficiency in horticulture; latest technologies in agriculture; financing agriculture as a business.

AWARDS AIM TO END GBV

Men and Boys for Gender Equality has collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to come up with Gender Based Violence Prevention Awards. The aim of the awards is to encourage community members to come up with different initiatives in a bid to end Gender based violence. Participants are expected to come up with and implement initiatives that aim to curb GBV during the 16 days of activism against GBV which starts this Wednesday. The virtual awards are slated for February 2021.

AFCFTA AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTSWANA

Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry will host webinar conference on December 1st 2020 aimed at providing a basic understanding of the AfCFTA Agreement and how key provisions can be leveraged to advance new trade and economic opportunities for Botswana’s entrepreneurs and exporters/importers. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) webinar titled, “AfCFTA and opportunities for Botswana”, will be “live” on Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry - Botswana Facebook Page, the Business Kraal and Conversation with Africa Facebook Pages at 1100-1230 (CAT).