Tuesday, 27 October 2026

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Tuesday, 27 October 2026

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Botswanan press · Event

Botswana Economic Transformation Programme

Also known as: BETP · BTEP · B.E.T.P.

2026-04-282026-10-27

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Botswana Economic Transformation Programme

Every mention in the Botswanan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

September 2026
14 SeptBotswana Sunday Standard
… The figures raise fresh questions about the resilience of Botswana’s livestock sector at a time when Government has identified agriculture as one of the priority sectors under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP). …
Cattle herd shrinks as livestock deaths surge
11 SeptWeekend Post
… Botswana’s government has classified the project as a priority under National Development Plan 12 and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme, designations that, in practice, fast-track permits and coordinate agency reviews. …
Texas-based firm builds a P2 Billion Hospital in Gaborone
10 SeptDaily News Botswana
… stics Botswana and the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture between March and December 2025, Statistician General, Dr Khaufelo Lekobane, said the census established a baseline to monitor agricultural policies and evaluate progress under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme …
Smallstock surge offset cattle decline
3 SeptWeekend Post
… This matters because Botswana’s economic transformation agenda; the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), is targeting cumulative private investment of 514 billion pula by 2036 across 186 investment-ready projects, 60 percent of them private sector-led. …
A bank, a Gov’t agency, and a post-mining future:
3 SeptDaily News Botswana
The Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) has moved from strategy to implementation in its first six months, making notable progress on legislative reforms and land delivery for high-impact projects. …
BETP takes shape
1 SeptWeekend Post
… Nevertheless, sentiment improved looking ahead to the 12 months ending June 2027, fueled in part by expectations that projects under the National Development Plan 12 (NDP 12) and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) will be successfully executed. …
Firms optimistic about business outlook through mid-2027
August 2026
27 AugDaily News Botswana
… ecting capital towards sustainable investments,” Mr Gaolathe said, noting that environmental concerns must now sit at the centre of financial discussions. “This direction aligns with commitments under National Development Plan 12 and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme …
Nature underpins economy
24 AugDaily News Botswana
… Government’s National Development Plan 12 and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme aim at a high-income, digitally enabled, export-driven and diversified Botswana in which citizens are ‘increasingly employed, empowered and fulfilled.’ He maintained that inclusive growth …
Currency strength depends on diversified economy
18 AugWeekend Post
… Botswana has identified 184 projects under its Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), with sectors like energy, water, and transport ripe for PPP-driven private capital. …
AfDB calls on Botswana to expand growth and unlock new development finance sources
11 AugDaily News Botswana
… She also stated that the report estimated that Botswana’s development conditions under Vision 2036, 12th National Development Plan and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme would require significant investment that could not be financed through traditional public finance …
Effective execution vital to reform efforts

Politics

New Employment Act consolidates labour laws, implementation crucial

The News

Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe told the Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union conference that the new Employment and Labour Relations Act consolidates previously scattered employment and labour relations laws into a coherent framework, but its success will be judged by how workers experience it in practice—particularly in grievance handling, application of employment terms, and fair dispute resolution.

13 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 13 October

New Employment Act consolidates labour laws, implementation crucial
Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe told the Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union conference that the new Employment and Labour Relations Act consolidates previously scattered employment and labour relations laws into a coherent framework, but its success will be judged by how workers experience it in practice—particularly in grievance handling, application of employment terms, and fair dispute resolution.
13 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 12 October

BBS Bank loss widens to P71.5 million on transformation costs
BBS Bank's loss widened from P17 million in the six months ended June 2025 to P71.5 million during the same period in 2026, partly driven by investment costs for digitalization, automation, and expanding its services. The bank's total assets declined 6.91% to P5.215 billion as management focused on balance-sheet optimization.
12 October 2026 · Weekend Post →

Thursday 8 October

Botswana's diamond recovery raises diversification urgency
After a severe slump, Botswana's diamond industry has recovered—the economy expanded 3.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026 and rough-diamond output surged in the second. Acting president and finance minister Ndaba Gaolathe has urged the country to use this reprieve to diversify away from dependence on diamonds, steering capital toward farms, factories, and tourism rather than relying on another diamond-market recovery.
8 October 2026 · Weekend Post →
African nations must develop regional value chains for agricultural trade
Zambia's High Commissioner to Botswana called for African countries to develop comprehensive trade agreements, leverage comparative advantages, and add value to agricultural commodities to boost regional agricultural production and trade.
8 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 28 September

Botswana's diamond recovery stirs but masks deeper questions
Botswana's diamond industry has rebounded after a slump, with the economy expanding 3.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026 and rough-diamond output surging in the second. However, acting president and finance minister Ndaba Gaolathe warned against treating the recovery as a transformation, calling for investment in farms, factories, and tourism rather than reliance on diamond market fluctuations.
28 September 2026 · Weekend Post →
Botswana and Japan mark 60 years of diplomatic partnership
Leaders from Botswana and Japan have reflected on their partnership built on shared democratic values, economic cooperation and mutual growth to mark six decades of diplomatic relations. The relationship has evolved through strategic infrastructure and technology initiatives, including the Japan-funded Kazungula Bridge, and ongoing collaborations in education, cultural exchanges, and renewable energy development.
28 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Thursday 17 September

S&P affirms Botswana's investment rating despite diamond market weakness
S&P Global Ratings maintained Botswana's investment-grade sovereign rating at BBB- but kept a negative outlook, citing the country's heavy dependence on diamond exports and concern that weak global diamond demand will continue to constrain economic growth and government revenue.
17 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

Wednesday 16 September

BETP review documents policy activity but lacks evidence of results
The government's mid-year review of the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme records reforms and administrative milestones across land, welfare, industry and finance, but provides limited evidence of completed reforms, savings, jobs or improved livelihoods.
16 September 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →
BETP reports progress in six-month economic initiative review
The Botswana Economic Transformation Programme, a ten-year state-supported initiative with more than 180 projects requiring about P514 billion in investment, has shown early wins at the six-month mark, including overhauls of redundant, outdated, or repressive business policies.
16 September 2026 · Mmegi →

Monday 14 September

Government revises jobs target to 512,000 by 2036
Nine months after missing its pledge to create 100,000 jobs in its first 12 months in office, the government has unveiled a new target of 512,000 jobs by 2036 as part of the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme Mid-Year Review.
14 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →
National cattle herd shrinks by 105,623 over decade
Botswana's national cattle herd declined to 1,638,543 in 2025 from 1,744,166 in 2015, a 6.1 percent contraction of 105,623 animals, according to the 2025 Agricultural Census by Statistics Botswana. The decline comes as cattle deaths have surged and raises questions about the resilience of the livestock sector.
14 September 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

Friday 11 September

Texas firm commits $150 million for 130-bed specialist hospital in Gaborone
A Texas-based private equity firm is investing roughly $150 million to build the TEMCO Hospital Ecosystem near Sir Seretse Khama International Airport—an integrated facility combining a 130-bed specialist hospital, medical hospitality wing, and pharmaceutical manufacturing plant on one site.
11 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

Thursday 10 September

Goat and sheep herds grow while cattle decline in Botswana
The 2025 Agricultural Census found that the goat population increased 5.5 per cent and sheep population surged 33.3 per cent over the past decade, while the national cattle population dropped 6.1 per cent. The decline in cattle was driven by a 13.1 per cent plunge in traditional cattle holdings, offset partly by significant expansion in the commercial cattle subsector.
10 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Thursday 3 September

FNB and SPEDU partner to finance post-mining Selebi Phikwe projects
First National Bank Botswana and SPEDU have signed a partnership agreement to address financing gaps for industrial investment projects worth between 5.9 billion and 6.8 billion pula in the Selebi Phikwe region, testing whether Botswana's push toward private sector-led economic diversification can succeed.
3 September 2026 · Weekend Post →
Botswana Economic Transformation Programme advances implementation phase
The Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) has progressed from strategy to implementation within six months, achieving legislative reforms and land delivery for high-impact projects. The programme has identified 186 high-impact projects, 60 per cent of which are private-sector-led, and has resolved land-title issues through "land labs" to facilitate project delivery.
3 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 1 September

Botswana businesses cautiously optimistic through mid-2027
A Bank of Botswana survey shows businesses in Botswana expressing cautious optimism about trading conditions through June 2027, supported by government economic recovery initiatives, though the operating landscape remains challenging and companies faced concerns including high borrowing costs and constrained government spending in mid-2026.
1 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

Thursday 27 August

Botswana integrates environmental risks into economic strategy
Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe said Botswana is working to diversify its economy and reduce vulnerability to global fluctuations by attracting private investment and developing new industries, while addressing climate change and biodiversity loss as critical financial risks that affect production costs, asset values and investment.
27 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 24 August

Currency strength depends on diversified economy, VP says
Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe told the Bank of Botswana's golden anniversary celebrations that the Pula's strength over the next 50 years will depend on a diversified, inclusive economy. He noted that Botswana introduced its own currency 10 years after independence and withdrew from the Rand Monetary Area, marking an act of monetary sovereignty.
24 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 18 August

AfDB urges Botswana to diversify economy beyond diamonds
The African Development Bank's 2026 Country Focus Report calls on Botswana to strengthen economic diversification and unlock new development finance sources, citing shifting diamond revenues, productivity challenges, and a drop in domestic fiscal revenue from US$6.2 billion in 2021 to US$5 billion.
18 August 2026 · Weekend Post →

Tuesday 11 August

ADB identifies execution and capital mobilisation as reform priorities
The Africa Development Bank's 2026 Botswana Country Focus Report highlights strengthening project preparation, domestic capital markets, public investment management, and private capital mobilisation as central to government reforms. Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe stressed the need for sharper emphasis on execution and institutional capacity to move viable projects toward financial growth and implementation.
11 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 10 August

ADB urges Botswana to reform investment capacity and execution
The African Development Bank's 2026 Botswana Country Focus Report calls for stronger project preparation, deeper capital markets, and better public investment management. Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe said government is aligning with the ADB to deepen institutional capacity and mobilise capital for viable investments, emphasising the need for sharper execution to move projects from preparation to implementation.
10 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Wednesday 5 August

Botswana Prison Service reports P2 million harvest
The Botswana Prison Service recorded an agricultural harvest valued at P2,044,568 during the 2025/2026 cropping season, including 3,000 bags of maize, 368 bags of sorghum, 147 bags of beans, 36,110 kilogrammes of vegetables, 3,542 kilogrammes of citrus fruits, and 20,000 kilogrammes of mixed livestock feed. The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services said the harvest demonstrates how offender rehabilitation contributes to national food production and reduces government expenditure on prisoners' upkeep.
5 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 28 July

Vice President urges Mmadinare to leverage local resources for growth
Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe has urged stakeholders in Mmadinare to build business ideas around local resources such as agricultural land, tourism attractions, and water resources, saying this could unlock opportunities and accelerate rural economic transformation. He called for collaboration between community members, local businesses, and government agencies to identify viable projects that add value locally rather than exporting raw materials.
28 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 27 July

Moringa farming positioned as Botswana's economic opportunity
Farmer's Pride International director Hunter Zadzagomo argues that moringa oleifera cultivation could position Botswana as Africa's premier production and export hub, offering a sustainable livelihood enterprise capable of creating income, employment, and rural industrialisation through local value addition.
27 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Thursday 16 July

Stakeholders urge coordination to boost Botswana's creative industries
Stakeholders called for stronger coordination among institutions supporting Botswana's creative industries during a CIPA-organised meeting, saying collaboration was key to unlocking the sector's economic potential. Government has recognised the creative economy as a pillar of economic transformation under Vision 2036, National Development Plan 12 and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme.
16 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 13 July

Jwaneng to host inaugural Trans Kalahari Corridor golf event
The Trans Kalahari Corridor Secretariat will hold its inaugural Investment and Connectivity Golf Day in Jwaneng on September 12, aimed at promoting investment and regional collaboration through golf while highlighting opportunities in transport infrastructure, logistics, and mining value chains.
13 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 7 July

Matopi farmers, South African firm launch joint venture
The Matopi Commercial Farmers Association and South Africa's Pinion have signed a Joint Venture Agreement to establish Matopinion Farming (Pty) Ltd, backed by projected investment exceeding P288 million and expected to create 183 direct jobs. The partnership is positioned as part of Botswana's economic diversification away from diamonds and toward agricultural modernization and export-oriented growth.
7 July 2026 · Weekend Post →

Thursday 2 July

Bank of Botswana warns delays in BETP jeopardize recovery
The Bank of Botswana has warned that postponements in rolling out the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme risk undermining the country's economic recovery and prolonging growth challenges from the past two years.
2 July 2026 · Weekend Post →

Monday 29 June

Botswana solar plant under construction to supply regional export
Shumba Energy Limited has begun construction on the Tati Solar project, a 100-megawatt facility near Francistown expected to supply electricity domestically and export energy across Southern Africa via the Southern African Power Pool, targeting commercial operation by 2027 with over P1 billion in investment.
29 June 2026 · Weekend Post →

Monday 22 June

BIC hosts conference on financial sector's economic role
The Botswana Insurance Company held its 4th Annual Thought Leadership Conference under the theme "From Resilience to Transformation." Vice President and Minister of Finance Ndaba Gaolathe commended BIC for creating a platform where financial and insurance institutions plan for the financial services industry's future and noted the importance of broadening Botswana's economic base beyond diamonds.
22 June 2026 · Daily News Botswana →