Botswana's $27bn Plan for Economy Beyond Diamonds
October 20, 25
(IDEX Online) - Botswana's parliament is debating an ambitious five-year plan to build an economy that no longer relies on diamonds.
It's planning to invest 388 billion pula ($27bn) in transport, housing, water and other infrastructure projects to stimulate growth and job creation.
The 12th National Development Plan (NDP 12) will guide the country's economic transformation, if approved by parliament later this year.
Funding will come from public-private partnerships, community contributions, and institutional investors.
Details of the plan were revealed last Monday (13 October) by Moeti Mohwasa (pictured), the minister for state president.
"Our economy is still too reliant on diamonds, and remains vulnerable to global shocks," he told the National Assembly of Botswana.
"Diversification has been slower than it should have been. That is why NDP 12 puts private sector growth at the center of our strategy."
Botswana is the world's biggest rough diamond producer by value. They contribute up to 80 per cent of its export earnings and a quarter of its GDP, but sales have slumped because of of weakening global demand and increased competition from lab growns.