Botswana Engages AfDB on Economic Reforms and Innovative Financing Agenda

Botswana Engages AfDB on Economic Reforms and Innovative Financing Agenda. Botswana has intensified high-level engagement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) as part of efforts to accelerate the implementation of the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) and mobilise scalable financing solutions to support long-term development objectives.

Vice President and Minister of Finance Ndaba Gaolathe is in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where he is attending the inaugural African Development Bank Group Strategic Dialogues on 7 January 2026. The forum brings together policymakers and development finance leaders to discuss approaches to strengthening development finance, policy coordination and institutional capacity across the continent.

During the visit, Gaolathe is holding bilateral discussions with AfDB Group President Dr Sidi Ould Tah. The talks are focused on extending the Bank’s technical support and capacity-building assistance to accelerate the BETP, which is Botswana’s flagship reform agenda aimed at economic diversification, productivity enhancement and increased private sector participation.

Discussions are also examining innovative financing solutions that can be deployed at scale to support Botswana’s development priorities. These include mechanisms intended to crowd in private capital, improve access to long-term funding and strengthen the effectiveness of development finance institutions in supporting growth-oriented sectors.

A key item on the agenda is potential collaboration with the AfDB on the establishment of a Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Industrialisation Fund. The proposal follows a mandate by SACU for the Ministers of Finance of Botswana and South Africa to engage the Bank on the initiative, which is intended to support regional industrial development, value addition and deeper economic integration.

Following the Abidjan engagements, the Vice President and Minister of Finance will travel to Tbilisi, Georgia, for a working visit scheduled from 12 to 15 January 2026. Georgia has been identified as a benchmark economy with an established funding architecture, particularly in financing small and medium-sized enterprises, innovation and productive sectors.

During the visit, Gaolathe is expected to engage with Ministers and senior government officials to gain insights into the design and implementation of Georgia’s financing systems. The discussions are intended to inform Botswana’s ongoing efforts to restructure and strengthen its financing architecture in support of private sector growth, innovation and job creation.