TLHABO KGOSIEMANG
Business Botswana will on September 9th this year host its 15th inaugural National Business Conference (NBC) in Francistown.
The conference will be held under the theme “Propelling Botswana to high income status through the private sector”, with the objective of focusing on high level issues around attaining a high income status.
It also intends to create a platform to offer lessons from the best economies as well as from those that failed to make the transition to high income and perhaps regressed.
Business Botswana has invited senior business and government leaders such as cabinet Ministers , Heads of Foreign missions in Botswana , Entrepreneurs and policy makers such as Permanent Secretaries and International speakers from international institutions such as the World bank , and IMF to have conversations on perspectives from Batswana who are working as senior executives in other parts of the world.
Having experienced working in Botswana and abroad, they are expected to add a fresh angle to the reforms that Botswana needs to attain high income status.
In an interview with Botswana Gazette, a Director of Policy at Business Botswana Dichaba Molobe said that through this conference, they want to close the income gap status in Botswana.
“Income levels are high in a high income economy, so if we make the transition, we are sure that living standards will improve’’ he said.
He also indicated that even if there is no equality of income, they are assured of prosperity for all in a high income set up when the economy grows.
Furthermore, Molobe indicated that NBC will review steps to make it easy for business to start; therefore the Conference resolutions benefit all categories of business including Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises SMMEs.
He noted that SMMEs are also affected by regulatory issues related to licensing and zoning.
Molobe highlighted that the previous Conferences have been significant as they have led to policy changes which benefited businesses such as simplified rules for trade licenses and business registration, work permits, privatization and Public Private Partnerships
He stressed that the three hundred and fifty people anticipated to attend the conference expected to contribute generously and sincerely to the debates to be of assistance to their country in attaining high come status.
Molobe further urged industry key players to join efforts to share ideas on how Botswana could be turned into a high income and inclusive economy.
He said that this development can help create employment for the people, adding that some countries such as Malaysia and Singapore have been able to make that transition and their people enjoy high standards of living.
A biennial two day gathering that has been held regularly since 1988 will be opened by President Ian Khama, and the next two conferences are expected to carry the same theme of transformation to a high income economy