Botswana
Botswana
The national accounts Statistics in Botswana are prepared by the National Accounts Statistics Unit (NASU), which is a unit within the Economic Statistics Division of the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Gaborone. Official estimates together with methodological notes are published in a series of reports entitled "National Accounts of Botswana". The following statistical sources are used to compile the National Accounts Statistics of Botswana: Census of Production and Distribution (CPD) - annually, Census of Construction and Manufacturing (CMC) - annually, Survey of Recent Trends (SRT) - quarterly, Agriculture Statistics - annually, Government Accounts (Central and local), External Trade Statistics - quarterly, Balance of Payments Statistics - annually, Household Income and Expenditure, Survey (HIES)-1993/94 (every 10 years), Price Statistics - quarterly, Employment Statistics - twice a year, Transport Statistics - quarterly, Mine Statistics - quarterly, Population Projections (every 10 years). The following tables have been prepared from the successive replies to the United Nations national accounts questionnaire.
Bonaire, Saint-Eustache et Saba
Conclusions and recommendations
FDI has been an immensely important factor in Botswana's unprecedented economic transformation over the last 30 years and must surely play an important role in achieving the ambitious growth and diversification objectives of Vision 2016. FDI has always been welcomed and fairly treated, and has benefited from an excellent business climate. Yet, with policy towards FDI entry regressing, the future prospects for FDI are not encouraging. There is no coherent strategy to guide the formulation of wider policy measures to attract and benefit from FDI. And FDI promotion is not being pursued systematically across the board.
Foreign direct investment: Trends and impact
Botswana has been open to foreign direct investment (FDI) since independence. This path – not often taken by others – produced results unmatched by any economy of similar size and level of development. Thanks to its success, for more than a decade Botswana has not had to depend on external capital inflows. But FDI is still needed for the other components that investment brings: technology, skills and access to export markets. The challenge is to enhance the contributions of FDI with complementary policies to build local capabilities and develop domestic enterprise.
The investment framework
Botswana has undoubtedly been successful in attracting FDI and managing it since independence. Arguably, it has balanced an open regime for FDI with giving due consideration to specific sensitivities of emerging local business interests. However, FDI policy is now undergoing a re-evaluation, which is unduly afflicted with doubts and caution. This is in obvious contrast with the growing liberalization of FDI regimes elsewhere in the world.
Annex: Suvey of forelgn affiliates in Botswana
In the second half of 2001, UNCTAD and UNDP conducted a survey of foreign affiliates in Botswana to identify key investment determinants and strengths and weaknesses of the country's business environment, as perceived by foreign investors operating in Botswana. The survey was based on a mailed questionnaire and interviews with 29 small and medium-sized foreign affiliates, primarily in the manufacturing and services sectors. The survey response rate was around 50 per cent.
Strategic perspectives
Diversification of the economy, away from its substantial reliance on diamond mining, and rapid growth remain Botswana's overriding economic objectives, confirmed in an official national document called Vision 2016. The role of FDI in pursuing these objectives will remain critical in all sectors, as Botswana continues to need the components of the FDI package, especially managerial, technical and professional skills, hard and soft technologies and access to, and knowledge of export markets.