WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  ANNEX 1 : BOTSWANA  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  CONTENTS  
1   ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  ................................ ................................ ........................  50 
1.1   Main features of the economy  ................................ ................................ ....................  50 
1.2   Recent economic developments  ................................ ................................ ..................  51 
1.3   Trade performance and foreign direct investment  ................................ ..........................  54 
1.3.1   Merchandise trade  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 54 
1.3.2   Trade in services  ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 58 
1.3.3   Foreign direct investment (FDI)  ................................ ................................ ...............  59 
2   TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIME  ................................ ................................ ............  61 
2.1   General framework  ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 61 
2.2   Trade policy formulation and objectives  ................................ ................................ ....... 61 
2.3   Trade agreements and arrangements  ................................ ................................ ..........  63 
2.3.1   WTO ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  63 
2.3.2   Regional and preferential agreements  ................................ ................................ ....... 64 
2.3.3   Other agreements and arrangements  ................................ ................................ ........  64 
2.4   Investment regime  ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 65 
3   TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASU RE ................................ ........................  67 
3.1   Measures directly affecting imports  ................................ ................................ .............  67 
3.1.1   Customs procedures and requirements  ................................ ................................ ..... 67 
3.1.2   Import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing  ................................ ...........................  69 
3.1.3   Other measures affecting imports – TRIMS  ................................ ................................  71 
3.2   Measures directly affecting exports  ................................ ................................ .............  71 
3.2.1   Export procedures and requirements  ................................ ................................ ........  71 
3.2.2   Export taxes,  charges, and levies  ................................ ................................ .............  71 
3.2.3   Export prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing  ................................ ............................  71 
3.2.4   Export support and promotion  ................................ ................................ .................  72 
3.3   Measures affecting production and trade  ................................ ................................ ...... 74 
3.3.1   Incentives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  74 
3.3.2   Standards and other technical requirements  ................................ ..............................  74 
3.3.3   Sanitary and phytosanitary requirements  ................................ ................................ .. 76 
3.3.4   Competition policy and price controls  ................................ ................................ ........  77 
3.3.4.1    Competition policy  ................................ ................................ ..............................  77 
3.3.4.2    Price controls  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 78 
3.3.5   State trading, state -owned enterprises, and privatization  ................................ .............  79 
3.3.5.1    State trading  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 79 
3.3.5.2    State -owned enterprises and privatization  ................................ ..............................  79 
3.3.6   Government procurement  ................................ ................................ .......................  81 
3.3.7   Intellectual property rig hts ................................ ................................ ......................  82 
3.3.7.1    Overview  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  82 
3.3.7.2    International context  ................................ ................................ ...........................  83 WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.3.7.3    Domestic IP regime  ................................ ................................ .............................  83 
3.3.7.3.1    Copyright  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  83 
3.3.7.3.2    Industrial property  ................................ ................................ ...........................  84 
3.3.7.3.3    Enforcement  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 85 
4   TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR  ................................ ................................ .....................  86 
4.1   Agriculture  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  86 
4.1.1   Overview  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  86 
4.1.2   Institutional and policy framework  ................................ ................................ ............  87 
4.1.2.1    Border measures ................................ ................................ ................................ . 88 
4.1.2.2    Domestic support  ................................ ................................ ................................  90 
4.1.2.3    Export measures  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 90 
4.2   Mining and energy  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 90 
4.2.1   Mining  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  90 
4.2.2   Energy  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  93 
4.2.2.1    Electricity  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  94 
4.2.2.2    Petroleum products  ................................ ................................ .............................  95 
4.3   Manufacturing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  96 
4.4   Services  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  97 
4.4.1   Telecommunications  ................................ ................................ ...............................  97 
4.4.2   Finan cial services  ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 99 
4.4.2.1    Banking  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  101 
4.4.2.2    Insurance  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  101 
4.4.3   Transport services  ................................ ................................ ...............................  103 
4.4.3.1    Air transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 103 
4.4.3.2    Land transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 105 
4.4.3.2.1    Road transport  ................................ ................................ ...............................  105 
4.4.3.2.2    Rail transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 105 
4.4.4   Tourism  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  106 
5   APPENDIX TABLES  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 108  
 
CHARTS  
 
Chart  1.1 Balance of payments – current account, 2014 -22 ................................ ...................  54 
Chart  1.2 Product composition of merchandise trade by main HS section, 2014 and 2022  ...........  56 
Chart  1.3 Direction of merchandise trade, 2014 and 2022  ................................ ......................  57 
Chart  1.4 Diamond trade, 2014 -22 ................................ ................................ .....................  58 
Chart  1.5 Trade in services, 2014 -22 ................................ ................................ ..................  59 
Chart  3.1 Charges for the use of intellectual property rights, 2014 -22 ................................ ..... 82 
Chart  4.1 Main traded agricultural products, 2014 -21 ................................ ............................  87 
Chart  4.2 Total energy supply (TES) by source, 2000 -20 ................................ .......................  94 
Chart  4.3 Impact of COVID 19 on air transport, 2019 and 2020  ................................ ............  104 WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  TABLES  
 
Table  1.1 Selected macroeconomic indicators – GDP structure, 2014 -22 ................................ .. 51 
Table  1.2 National government finance, FY2014 -21 ................................ ..............................  52 
Table  1.3 Money and interest rates, ext ernal sector, and balance of payments, 2014 -22 ............  53 
Table  1.4 Foreign direct investment, 2014 -22 ................................ ................................ ...... 60 
Table  2.1 Main government institutions involved in trade policy formulation and implementation  . 61 
Table  2.2 National plans and strategies impacting trade policy  ................................ ................  63 
Table  2.3 Notifications to the WTO, 1  January  2014–31 July 2023 ................................ ...........  64 
Table 2.4 De jure FDI restrictions, 2023  ................................ ................................ ..............  65 
Table  3.1 Goods subject to import control measures, 2023  ................................ ....................  69 
Table  3.2 Goods subject to export permit, 2023  ................................ ................................ ... 71 
Table  3.3 Commercial SOEs in Botswana, 2023  ................................ ................................ .... 79 
Table  3.4 SOE Rationalization Strategy, selected initiatives  ................................ ....................  80 
Table  3.5 Trademarks, industrial designs, and patents, 2014 -21 ................................ .............  85 
Table  4.1 Trade balance in agricultural products, 2014 -21 ................................ .....................  86 
Table  4.2 Domestic support as notified by Botswana, FY2014/15 -FY2020/21  ............................  90 
Table  4.3 Principal indicators for mining, 2014 -22 ................................ ................................ . 91 
Table  4.4 Government revenues f rom the diamond industry, 2015/16 -2021/22  ........................  93 
Table  4.5 Electricity tariffs, 2014 and 2021  ................................ ................................ ..........  95 
Table  4.6 Selected telecom indicators, 2015 -22 ................................ ................................ .... 97 
Table  4.7 Legal instruments and amendments to legislation on financial services  ....................  100 
Table  4.8 Tourists and total arrivals, 2015 -20 ................................ ................................ .... 107 
 
 
APPENDIX TABLES  
 
Table  A1.1 Merchandise exports by HS section/chapter/subheading, 2014 -22 .........................  108 
Table  A1.2 Merchandise exports by destination, 2014 -22 ................................ .....................  109 
Table  A1.3 Merchandise imports by HS section/chapter/subheading, 2014 -22 .........................  110 
Table  A1.4 Merchandise imports by origin, 2014 -22 ................................ ............................  112 
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  1  ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  
1.1  Main features of the economy  
1.1.  Botswana is a sparsely populated, landlocked country in Southern Africa, with a population of 
about 2.6  million  in 2022 (Table  1.1). It is an upper -middle -income country  that aspires to become 
a high -income country by 2036.1 Its per capita GDP was USD 7,703 in 2022 . Good management of 
its rich mineral wealth, particularly in diamond s, has led the economy to grow r obustly in the past 
decades. Botswana is the world's second -largest producer of diamonds,  which  dominat e its exports . 
Mineral revenue  (primarily from diamonds)  account s for about 30% of government revenue. 
Botswana has been implementing a public investment  and diamond -reliant growth model, where 
revenue from mineral wealth is reinvested in infrastructure, education, health , and social protection.  
1.2.  Services  contributed to about 60% of GDP, and c onstruction around 11% of GDP  over the 
review period . With over 20% of GDP, mining and quarrying is the second -largest sector  (Table  1.1). 
The share of the manufacturing sector , including mainly the processing of diamonds and of beef, as 
well as textiles, has been declining , from 8.1%  in 2014 to 5.7% in  2022.2 According to a World Bank 
study, l ow productivity, high transport costs, and the absence of economies of scale were all 
obstacles for the manufacturing sector to address .3 
1.3.  The agricultural sector's share of GDP remains small at about  1.9%. About  30% of the 
population live in rural areas, a large portion of whom are involved in  subsistence crop and livestock 
farming. Botswana is topographically flat and arid, with the Kalahari Desert covering  70% of its 
territory. Agriculture is mostly rainfed and is thus vulnerable to drought or floods. Climate change 
also poses challenges to the water sector and tourism services , as the latter depends on water -based 
wildlife resources . 
1.4.  Other challenges to Botswana's  economic development  includ e maintenance  of its 
infrastructure,  high unemployment , and income inequality . Despite relatively high public investment, 
the quality of infrastructure has been falling, particularly in the railway network and electricity  grid.4 
Due to the capital -intensive  nature of the mining and quarrying sector (accounting for 1. 8% of total 
employment  in 20225), this diamond -led growth model d oes not generate sufficient jobs . 
Unemployment reached 2 3.6% in 2022 (Table  1.1), and youth unemployment reached 34.4%  
in 2021.6 This exacerbated  Botswana's income  inequality . With a  Gini coefficient of 0.53 in  2015, 
Botswana is among the 10  most unequal countries in the world , according to the World Bank .7 The 
top 10% of the population h olds 61.2% of financial assets.8 
 
1 Statistics Botswana, Vision 2036. Viewed  at: https://www.statsbots.org.bw/vision -2036-3.  
2 Manufacturing provide d 11% of formal jobs in 2021. World Bank (2022), Creating Markets in 
Botswana  – A Diamond in the Rough: Toward A New Strategy for Diversification and Private Sector Growth , 
June. Viewed  at: https://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/epdf/10.1596/3788 . 
3 World Bank (2022), Creating Markets i n Botswana – A Diamond in the Rough: Toward A New Strategy 
for Diversification and Private Sector Growth , June.  
4 World Bank (2022), Creating Markets in Botswana – A Diamond in the Rough: Toward A New Strategy 
for Diversification and Private Sector Growth , June.  
5 Bank of Botswana (2022) Annual Report . Table 1.2A. Viewed at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/sites/default/files/publications/Annual%20Report%202022.pdf . 
6 IMF (2022), Botswana: Sta ff Report for the Article  IV Consultation , IMF Country Report No.  22/247 . 
Viewed  at: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2022/07/25/Botswana -2022-Article -IV-
Consultation -Press -Release -Staff-Report -and-Statement -by-the-
521327#:~:text=This%202022% 20Article%20IV%20Consultation,its%20pre%2Dpandemic%20output%20lev
el. 
7 World Bank, Gini Index – Botswana . Viewed  at: 
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?end=2015&locations=BW&most_recent_value_desc=false&s
tart=1985&view=chart .  
8 World Bank (2022), Inequality in Southern Africa: An Assessment of the Southern African Customs 
Union. Viewed  at: 
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated /en/099125303072236903/pdf/P1649270c02a1f06b0a3ae02e57ead
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  Table  1.1 Selected macroeconomic indicators – GDP structure, 2014 -22 
  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
GDP (current 
BWP billion)a 138.9  137.1  164.4  166.6  173.7  179.9  171.4  207.7  251.8  
GDP (current 
USD billion)a 15.5 13.5 15.1 16.1 17.0 16.7 15.0 18.7 20.4 
Real GDP growth 
(annual %)  5.7 -4.9 7.2 4.1 4.2 3.0 -8.7 11.9 5.8 
GDP per capita 
(USD)  6,845.2  5,870.2  6,412.7  6,704.9  6,949.0  6,690.4  5,876.0  7,223.2  7,703.4  
Population 
(million)  2.3 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.6 2.6 
Unemployment 
rate (%)b 18.9 19.3 19.3 19.6 19.8 20.1 21.0 23.1 23.6 
Trade/GDP 
(based on BoP)  129.5  98.7 111.9  87.4 92.5 81.8 72.8 114.8  93.6 
Gross value added by economic activity (% of total value added at current prices)a  
Agriculture, 
forestry & 
fishing  1.9 2.0 2.0 1.9 2.2 2.2 2.3 1.9 1.9 
Mining and 
quarrying  24.1 19.1 23.7 19.6 16.8 14.3 9.6 16.6 21.4 
Manufacturing  8.1 7.5 6.7 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.0 5.5 5.7 
Water and 
electricity  1.2 1.5 1.2 1.7 1.8 1.0 1.3 1.2 1.3 
Construction  9.9 10.9 10.1 10.9 11.5 11.9 11.3 11.5 11.0 
Services  54.9 59.0 56.1 59.4 61.3 64.3 69.5 63.3 58.8 
Wholesale and 
retail 7.8 7.9 8.3 9.6 9.9 10.4 11.4 11.3 11.0 
Diamond traders  3.3 2.0 2.5 2.1 1.8 1.3 0.8 1.7 2.0 
Transport and 
storage  1.9 2.0 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.3 
Accommodation 
and food 
services  2.7 2.9 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 2.3 1.8 1.8 
Information and 
communication 
technology  2.5 2.7 2.5 2.7 2.7 2.8 3.1 2.8 2.6 
Finance, 
insurance and 
pension funding  3.8 4.7 4.9 4.9 5.5 5.9 6.2 5.5 5.4 
Real estate 
activities  4.4 5.0 4.5 4.9 5.1 5.2 5.4 4.8 4.3 
Professional, 
scientific and 
technical 
activities  1.7 1.9 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.9 1.7 
Administrative 
and support 
activities  1.7 1.9 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.7 1.6 
Public 
administration 
and defence  14.8 17.6 15.5 16.2 16.8 18.6 21.9 18.9 16.7 
Education  5.3 4.9 4.9 5.3 5.2 5.4 6.1 5.2 4.4 
Human health 
and social work  2.7 2.9 2.8 3.0 3.1 3.3 3.8 3.4 2.9 
Other services  2.3 2.6 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.3 2.1 
a Provisional for the period 20 20-22. 
b Unemployment rate figures are from the World Bank 's World Development Indicators. Viewed  at: 
https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world -development -indicators . 
Source:  Statistics Botswana, Statistical Publications . Viewed  at: https://www.statsbots.org.bw/latest -
publications . 
1.2  Recent economic developments  
1.5.  Botswana's economy grew on average at 3.2% annually from 2014 to 2019, with a contract ion 
happening  only in  2015 (Table  1.1). The economy contracted again in  2020 by 8.7%  because of the 
COVID -19 pandemic . Real GDP growth rebounded by 11.9%  in 2021 and continued to grow by 5.8% 
in 2022, thanks mainly to strong exports driven by higher prices for diamond s and increased copper 
production . Prudent macroeconomic management  has also helped . 
1.6.  In April 2020, the Government approved a short -term COVID -19 Economic Response Plan and 
a medium - to long -term Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan (ERTP) to mitigat e the effects WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  of the pandemic. Under the ERTP, the Government set up an Industry Support Facility with a budget 
allocation of BWP  1.3 billion .9 According to the IMF, the fiscal relief package was equivalent to 2.6% 
of GDP .10 
1.7.  Increase d public expenditure enlarged  the fiscal deficit t o 9.5% of GDP in  FY2020 . However, 
this deficit narrowed and a small surplus  (0.05% of GDP)  was realized in FY2021  (Table  1.2). The 
fiscal surplus  mainly resulted from  higher diamond sales and hence  higher  mineral tax revenue . The 
increase  in revenue  from the VAT  also reflect ed a change in the standard rate from 12% to 14% in 
April 2021 (Section  3.1.1).  
Table  1.2 National government finance, FY2014 -21 
(% of GDP)  
 
FY2014  
FY2015  
FY2016  
FY 2017  
FY2018  
FY2019  
FY2020  
FY2021  
Central government budgeta  
Total revenue  39.7 33.7 34.4 33.6 30.3 30.0 28.3 31.4 
Tax revenue  36.6 31.9 30.5 31.6 28.9 26.5 25.5 28.2 
Customs  11.1 11.2 7.1 10.6 8.4 7.7 9.4 6.5 
Exciseb n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 0.04 
Mineral revenuec 15.3 10.3 13.5 11.1 10.5 8.0 5.5 10.7 
Non-mineral income tax  5.9 6.2 5.7 4.9 5.6 6.0 5.8 5.8 
Other taxes, of which:  4.3 4.2 4.2 4.9 4.5 4.8 4.8 5.3 
Vehicle taxes  0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 
Licence fees  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 
VAT 4.1 3.9 4.0 4.6 4.2 4.5 4.5 5.0 
Non-tax revenue  2.7 1.7 3.8 1.8 1.3 3.5 2.8 3.2 
Grants  0.3 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Expenditure  35.9 38.7 33.7 34.8 35.3 36.2 37.8 31.5 
Surplus/deficit  3.8 -5.0 0.7 -1.2 -5.0 -6.2 -9.5 0.05 
Total government debt (end of period)  18.1 18.6 16.2 14.6 14.7 16.2 19.4 18.8 
External debt  12.8 13.0 10.0 8.4 8.6 8.6 7.6 8.0 
Domestic debt  5.3 5.6 6.2 6.1 6.2 7.6 11.7 10.8 
Government guaranteed debt  5.4 6.4 5.9 5.1 4.7 4.9 5.0 3.6 
n.a. Not applicable.  
a Fiscal year runs from 1  April to 31  March.  
b Since October  2021, excise tax has been reported separately from customs  tax. 
c Mineral royalties and dividends are included under mineral tax, and thus form part of tax revenue. 
The figures in the table for mineral revenue are different from those figures in Ministry of Finance 
publications, where mineral revenue is under non -tax rev enue.  
Source:  Bank of Botswana  (BoB) , Botswana Economic and Financial Statistics , May 2023. Viewed  at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/publications ; World Bank, Databank. Viewed  at: 
https://databank.worldbank.org/home . 
1.8.  The Bank of Botswana (BoB), the Central Bank, has set its monet ary policy objective to achieve 
price stability, i.e.  a sustained level of inflation within the medium -term objective range of 3% to 
6%. In  2020, the BoB reduced the policy rate and eased regulatory limits on private lending to 
facilitate business activiti es (Section  4). 
1.9.  In 2021 and 2022, when annual inflation (largely imported) averaged 6.7% and 12.2% , 
respectively  (Table  1.3), and was thus higher than the Central Bank's target, the BoB tightened its 
monetary policy by raising its monetary policy rate by a  combined 101 basis points in April and 
June 2022.11 It also introduced a new monetary policy rate (M oPR) in 2022: the seven -day BoB 
certificate (BoBC) rate replaced the bank rate, with a view to strengthening monetary policy 
transmission.12 
 
9 Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (2020), Implementation Guidelines for COVID -19 
Industry Support Facility , October. Viewed  at: 
https://www.finance.gov.bw/images/COVID19/Industry_Support_Funds_Guidelines_AllSectors.pdf . 
10 IMF Country Report No.  22/247 .  
11 IMF Country Report No.  22/247 .  
12 IMF Country Report No.  22/247 . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Table  1.3 Money and interest rates, external sector, and balance of payments, 2014 -22 
  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Annual inflation (%)  4.4 3.0 2.8 3.3 3.2 2.8 1.9 6.7 12.2 
Money and interest rates   
Broad money 
growth (annual 
percentage  change)  4.6 19.9 5.4 2.7 8.3 8.0 5.9 5.0 6.8 
Bank rate/M oPR 
(percent age per 
annum)  7.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 5.0 4.8 3.8 3.8 2.7 
Repo rate 
(percent age per 
annum)  7.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.5 4.3 3.8 3.8 2.7 
External sector  
BWP/USD  (period 
average)  9.0 10.1 10.9 10.3 10.2 10.8 11.5 11.1 12.4 
Nominal effective 
exchange rate 
(percentage 
changea) -4.6 -1.5 -3.0 3.4 0.9 -1.8 -4.2 0.1 -3.6 
Real effective 
exchange rate 
(percentage 
changea) -2.8 -0.1 -2.3 4.4 1.6 -1.2 -4.4 3.5 1.5 
Current 
account/GDP  11.1 2.2 8.0 5.6 0.4 -6.9 -10.3 -1.4 2.9 
Total reserves 
(includes gold) 
(USD  billion)  8.3 7.5 7.2 7.5 6.7 6.2 4.9 4.8 4.3 
In months of 
imports of goods 
and services  10.3 10.3 10.2 11.4 8.7 8.4 7.9 9.0 .. 
Balance of payments (USD  million)  
Current account  1,713.3  301.2  1,202.5  899.6  66.9 -1,154.9  -1,548.3  -263.5  597.5  
Balance on goods  720.4  -702.4  1,475.8  812.9  486.2  -1,065.8  -1,967.5  -652.2  547.6  
Balance on 
services  -245.7  -206.6  -167.8  -189.7  -316.2  -401.3  -899.4  -683.8  -354.4  
Balance primary 
income  -471.6  -453.9  -1,290.5  -1,366.6  -1,584.1  -876.1  13.9 -180.8  -583.6  
Balance 
secondary income  1,710.3  1,664.2  1,185.0  1,643.0  1,481.1  1,188.2  1,304.6  1,253.4  988.0  
Financial account  1,126.1  1,256.1  966.9  1,250.6  -303.8  436.0  642.7  442.4  -116.4  
Net errors and 
omissions  108.6  545.4  -536.5  -62.4 -782.8  473.2  440.0  446.9  -351.4  
Overall balance  695.8  -409.6  -300.9  -413.4  -412.1  -1,117.7  -1,751.0  -259.0  362.6  
.. Not available.  
a The minus sign indicates depreciation.  
Source:  BoB, Botswana Economic and Financial Statistics , May 2023. Viewed  at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/publications ; World Bank, Databank. Viewed  at: 
https://databank.worldbank.org/home ; and IMF data. Viewed  at: https://data.imf.org/ . 
1.10.  Botswana maintains its crawling -peg exchange rate regime, with the pula pegged to a basket 
of currencies comprising the South  Africa n rand and the IMF's SDR. Eighty percent of Botswana's 
foreign reserves (mainly unspent revenue from mineral resources) are kept in the Pula Fund, while 
the remaining 20% may be used as a short -term liquidity buffer. The Pula Fund is a sovereign wealth 
fund, 80% of which is deposited  at the BoB a nd the other 20% with the Government and deposited 
in the Government Investment Account. The Government uses this Fund to finance the public budget 
including public procurement . 
1.11.  Over the review period, Botswana's current account had been in surplus until 2 018 before 
turning into deficit. In 2022, higher  diamond exports and the consequent trade surplus contributed 
to turn the current account deficit into a surplus (Table  1.3 and Chart  1.1). WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Chart  1.1 Balance of payments – current account, 2014 -22 
(USD  million)  
 
Note:   Provisional figures for 2022.  
Source:  BoB, Botswana Economic and Financial Statistics , February  2023. Viewed  at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/publications . 
1.12.  The recent  exogenous  shocks (such as the pandemic, geopolitical conflicts , and climate 
change ) further enhanced the awareness of the need for the diversification of the economy.  In 2021, 
the Government  introduced  a "Res et and Reclaim  Agenda"  under its Vision  2036. The agenda aims 
at transforming Botswana into a high -income country by  2036 and creating jobs , by prioritiz ing 
public service reforms, promoting digitalization, and  deepening  value chain development (with initi al 
sectoral focuses on minerals, tourism, food, and education). This is complemented by t he ERTP , 
which  contains a climate agenda aimed at reducing Botswana 's dependence on carbon -intensive 
industries, enhancing energy -generation capacity, and strengthening climate resilience. The ERTP 
supports Botswana 's efforts to pursue an outward -looking growth strategy that promotes exports 
and private -sector activity.13 
1.13.  Competition continues to be limited by, inter alia, the small size of the economy, the presence 
and dominance of SOEs in many sectors  (Section 3.3.5.2) , gaps in infrastructure, and difficulties in 
accessing finance  and skilled labour .14 Moreover, Botswana has been restricting or prohibiting the 
importation of certain food and beverages with a view to encouraging local industrialization 
(Section  3.1.2). According to the IMF, this import substitution policy has "created shortages in the 
domestic market, increased prices, and reduced the welfare of domestic consumers" .15 
1.3  Trade  performance  and foreign direct investment  
1.3.1   Merchandise trade  
1.14.  Trade plays a key role in the economy, and imports and exports of goods and services 
accounted for about 94% of GDP in  2022 (Table  1.1). Over the review period , Botswana's 
merchandise exports became more concentrated in diamonds, which account ed for 87.2% of total 
merchandise exports in 202 2, up from 85.4% in  2014 (Chart  1.2 and Table  A1.1). The share of live 
animals and their by-products fell slightly , while the  share s of mineral products, and that  of 
machinery and electrical equipment went up.  
 
13 World Bank (2022), Creating Markets in Botswana – A Diamond in the Rough: Toward A New Strategy 
for Diversification and Private Sector Growth , June.  
14 World Bank (2022), Creating Markets in Botswana – A Diamond in the Rough: Toward A New Strategy 
for Diversification and Private Sector Growth , June.  
15 IMF Country Report No.  22/247 , p. 15. 
WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  1.15.  In 2022, the biggest merchandise export destination was the United  Arab Emirates, with 
27.2% of the total (up from 4.2% in  2014), followed by t he EU -27 (18.9% in 2022), and India 
(15.2%). Botswana' s exports to other SACU members, notably South  Africa  and Namibia, declined 
(Chart 1.3 and Table  A1.2). 
1.16.  The change in export destinations reflect s changes in diamond exports . In fact, over the years, 
the United  Arab Emirates bec ame the largest export destination for Botswana 's diamonds, followed 
by Belgium and India (Chart  1.4). Hong  Kong,  China ; Israel;  Singapore;  and South  Africa  remain 
important markets , although South  Africa's share fell. 
1.17.  Botswana's import structure remain ed largely unchanged over the review period, and precious 
stones and metals (dominated by diamonds ), mineral products, and machinery and electrical 
equipment were the largest three items ( Chart  1.2 and Table  A1.3). The share of precious stones 
and me tals declined from 31.7% in  2014 to 27.6% in  2022, and that of mineral products declined 
from 25.5% to 1 9.3% during the same period , while the shares of the other main import items 
increased.  
1.18.  Botswana imports mainly from South  Africa  (62.8% of the total in  2022, down  from 66.4% 
in 2014) (Chart  1.3 and Table  A1.4). The share of imports from the EU -27 increased from 5% to 
17% in 2021 but declined to 7.8% in  2022,  while the shares of imports from India went up from 
0.8% in 2014 to 4.4% in  2022, and the United  Arab Emirates from 0.1%  to 1.4% , respectively . Also, 
during the review period, Namibia's share fell from 11.5% to 7.2%, and Canada's share fell from 
9.3% to 3.6%. 
1.19.  A large part of the changes in import structure is also linked with changes in diamond  trade 
pattern s. Over the review period , imports from Belgium and India went up, while those from 
South  Africa , Namibia, and Canada shrank (Chart  1.4). WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Chart  1.2 Product composition of merchandise trade by mai n HS section, 2014 and 202 2 
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
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  Chart  1.3 Direction of merchandise trade, 2014 and 202 2 
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
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  Chart  1.4 Diamond trade, 2014 -22 
(USD  billion)  
 
Note:  Diamond products refer to HS  7102.  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
1.3.2   Trade in services  
1.20.  Due to  the COVID -19 pandemic  and the related global travel restrictions , exports of services 
shrank  by almost 50%  in 2020 , mainly on account of the fall in travel  services exports ( Chart  1.5). 
In 202 2, they have not recovered to the pre -COVID -19 years.  Imports o f services were concentrated 
in transport ation services ; other business services; travel; and telecom munications , computer , and 
information services.  
0.01.02.03.04.05.06.07.08.0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 20220.00.51.01.52.02.53.0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022Chart 1.4 Diamond trade, 2014 -22
(USD billion)
(USD billion)
Exports Imports
Belgium
Canada
Hong Kong, ChinaIndia
Israel
NamibiaRussian FederationSingapore
South AfricaUnited Arab Emirates
Other
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.Note: Diamond products refer to HS 7102.WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Chart  1.5 Trade in services, 2014 -22 
(USD  million)  
Note:  Provisional figure for 2022.  
Source:  BoB, Botswana Economic and Financial Statistics , May 2023. Viewed  at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/publications . 
1.3.3   Foreign direct investment (FDI)  
1.21.  FDI inflow s into Botswana shrank significantly in  2020 and started to recover in  2022, albeit 
at about half of the 2014 level (Table  1.4). FDI outflows registered negative figures in some years.  
1.22.  According to the World Bank, Botswana has not met expectations in  attract ing significant FDI  
in non -extractive industries . However,  in recent years, FDI in the services industry (insurance and 
banking) has grown,  with a particularly strong focus on business services.16 Botswana expects rapid 
recovery in FDI in sectors such as software and information technology (including artificial 
 
16 World Bank (2022), Creating Markets in Botswana – A Diamond in t he Rough: Toward A New Strategy 
for Diversification and Private Sector Growth , June.  
WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  intelligence, cybersecurity, gaming , and machine learning), life sciences (biotech nology, e -health, 
and medical technology) , and renewable energy.17 
Table  1.4 Foreign direct investment, 2014 -22 
(USD  million)  
  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
FDI inflow  515.2  378.6  142.5  260.6  286.0  93.6 31.8 -318.9  216.0  
FDI outflow  111.4  183.2  169.7  -0.9 82.1 -19.8 -68.3 -32.9 -42.2 
FDI stock in 
Botswana  3,862.4  3,612.2  5,041.8  5,228.2  5,172.7  5,453.9  5,733.4  5,010.9  5,211.3  
FDI stock abroad  854.6  892.8  949.0  1,187.7  915.7  1,012.4  1,114.6  1,164.4  1,005.6  
Source:  BoB, Botswana Economic and Financial Statistics, May  2023. Viewed  at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/publications . 
 
 
17 Botswana Investment and Trade Centre ( BITC), Annual Report 2020/21: Investment and Trade 
Reconceived . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  2  TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIME  
2.1  General framework  
2.1.  The 1966 Constitution of Botswana remains in force. A Presidential Commission of Enquiry was 
set up in December  2021 to undertake a comprehensive review of the Constitution, and it submitted 
its report with recommendations to the President in September  2022. As of April  2023, no further 
steps had been taken. The structure of government and the hierarchy of legal norms, as described 
in Botswana's previous Review, are unchanged.18  
2.2.  Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA) were introduced in Botswana in November  2019 for a 
pilot phase of three years, focusing mainly on issues affecting businesses. However, due to the 
outbreak of COVID -19, full implementation was not realized, and a decision was made to continue 
implementation beyond the pilot period. Successful completion of current RIA projects will assist the 
Government in deciding whether to roll  out RIA implementation to all o ther sectors of the 
administration.  
2.3.  Botswana has a dualist legal system that requires that international instruments be 
domesticated to be conferred binding force and effect. Thus, ratified international instruments do 
not confer actionable or binding righ ts or obligations until incorporated through domestication. 
Domestication is preceded by ratification, accession, acceptance, or approval of an international 
instrument. Thereafter, a Cabinet Directive authorizes the drafting of the domestication legislati on. 
The Attorney General's Chambers drafts a Bill incorporating the international instrument's 
provisions, which is then submitted to Cabinet. If approved, a copy is presented in the Government 
Gazette 30  days before it can be presented to the National Ass embly. The Bill then passes through  
the various stages (first reading, second reading, committee stage , and Presidential Assent) before 
it is finally enacted into an Act.  
2.2  Trade policy formulation and objectives  
2.4.  Following rationalization of government minis tries in 2022, the Ministry of Trade and 
Industry  (MTI) (formerly the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry) leads the formulation of 
trade, industry , and investment policies and strategies , as well as coordination of their 
implementation. Among its f unctions, the MTI oversees internal and international trade relations, 
promotes export development, oversees the facilitation of investments, and develops initiatives to 
attract foreign direct investment (FDI) , as well as promoting industrial development.19 The MTI's 
core functions are carried out through its specific departments (Table  2.1) and by the parastatals 
falling under its responsibility (Section  3.3.5.2).  
Table  2.1 Main government institutions involve d in trade policy formulation and 
implementation  
Institutions  Trade -related function  
Policy development  
Ministry of Trade and Industry  
Department of Trade 
Development  Develops, implements, and monitors trade policy. Is responsible for 
the negotiation and implementation of multilateral, regional , and 
bilateral trade agreements. Is responsible for imports control and 
determining tariff exemptions.  
Economic Diversification Drive 
Unit Coordinates efforts to diversify the economy, including thr ough: local 
government procurement policies; the use of preference margins; 
strategies to promote local production and consumption; export 
development and promotion; investment and finance initiatives; 
quality control, standards and production; and, techno logy 
development, innovation and transfer policies.  
Department of Business Services  Assesses and implements the regulatory framework for investment, 
trade, and industriali zation.  
Department of Research and 
Policy Development  Carries out research, studies, business intelligence analyses . 
Disseminate s results and statistics to inform policy and strategy 
formulation , as well as guide decision -making.  
 
18 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016. 
19 MTI. Viewed  at: https://www.gov.bw/ministries/ministry -investment -trade -and-industry . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Institutions  Trade -related function  
Policy implementation  
Ministries (e.g.  MTI; Ministry of 
Agriculture ; Ministry of Finance ; 
and Ministry of Entrepreneurship ) Implement trade policies and trade agreements.  
Parastatals (e.g.  Botswana 
Investment and Trade Centre 
(BITC) and Botswana Unified 
Revenue Service ( BURS )) BITC – Implement s trade policies by facilitating specific policy 
objectives such as export promotion and FDI facilitation.  
BURS – Focuses on facilitation of trade, border control , and tax 
collection.  
Source:  MTI. Viewed  at: https://www.gov.bw/ministries/ministry -investment -trade -and-industry . 
2.5.  The National Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations  (NCTPN) was r ationalized in 2017 
and merged into the Economic Diversification and Trade Council  (EDTC).20 As indicated by the 
authorities, the EDTC has not met regularly but has active technical committees on market access, 
trade facilitation, and trade in services. Th ese technical committees provide fora for consultations 
on trade policy and trade negotiations between the Government and various stakeholders, including 
the private sector. There is no legal requirement for the Government to involve stakeholders in the 
formulation of trade policy.  
2.6.  Another avenue for stakeholder participation in economic development matters more generally 
is the High -Level Consultative Council  (HLCC), chaired by the Head of State. The HLCC comprises 
government, private sector, and civil soc iety representatives. It has a trade subcommittee, chaired 
by the Min ister of the MTI, which is mandated to handle trade and trade -related issues. The HLCC 
meets twice per year, while the sectoral committees meet four times per year.  
2.7.  The Parliamentary Comm ittee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Security is the bridge between the 
MTI and parliament on the country's trade policies.  
2.8.  Botswana's overall trade policy objectives are articulated in the MTI's 2019 National Trade 
Policy  (NTP) for Botswana. This policy re places the 2010 Botswana Trade Policy and responds to 
developments in the global economy necessitating a policy shift to focus on strengthening key  
institutions; producing goods and services mainly targeted for global markets ; and ensuring that 
producers a re competitive at that level.21 The objective is to mainstream the NTP into other relevant 
national policies and strategies. Specific trade policy objectives are to (i) develop strategies that will 
make trade the main engine of growth of Botswana; (ii)  diversify the export sector into 
non-traditional exports; (iii)  develop a dynamic and competitive private sector that will be able to 
exploit emerging trade opportunities; (iv)  increase and improve market access and international 
competitiveness for Botswana' s goods and services; (v)  advocate for and support carefully planned 
liberalization, restructuring , and simplification of both tariffs and non -tariff barriers; (vi)  improve 
trade facilitation processes and procedures between Botswana and its trading partne rs; (vii)  ensur e 
sustainable utilization of natural resources in trade activities; (viii)  mainstream all relevant citizen 
economic empowerment strategies and initiatives into trade policy activities; (ix)  ensure that trade 
activities contribute towards sus tainable job creation  and poverty eradication; (x)  ensure that 
Botswana trade rules and practices support regional integration and are WTO  compatible; 
(xi) integrate Botswana into the world trading economy; and (xii)  mainstream cross -cutting issues 
into Bo tswana's trade policy initiatives. The Policy also includes several guiding principles and 
strategic policy focus areas, sets out government measures to facilitate trade development , 
recogniz es the importance of informal cross -border trade ( ICBT) in contri buting to economic activity , 
and indicates the Government's intention to encourage SMEs  and women in trade , as well as 
promote s the formalization of IBCT. As indicated in the NTP , Botswana is developing a Trade in 
Services Strategy.22 
2.9.  Botswana's National Export Strategy  (NES) (2019 -2024) is also being implemented  and aims 
to assist Botswana firms to develop export competencies, access financial resources and market 
information, and  achieve the competitiveness needed to access global markets. In implementing the 
 
20 According to the authorities, t he NCTPN used to provide for consultations on trade policy and trade 
negotiations between the Government and various stakeholders, including the private sector. It was meant to 
operate at senior official level ; however, part icipation was mainly from the junior level and apparently there 
was too much duplication of work with other bodies.  
21 MTI, National Trade Policy 2019: Industrialization, Diversification and Export Development for Global 
Competitiveness. Not available onli ne. 
22 This document is not available online.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  NES, the BITC facilitates existing and potential businesses to export, including through 
implementation of the Export Development Programme (Section  3.2.4).  
2.10.  Several other cro ss-sectoral national plans, strategies, and policies include  trade as a relevant 
component (Table  2.2). 
Table  2.2 National plans and strategies impacting trade policy  
National plans  Brief description  
Vision 2036  Overarching economic prosperity plan in which trade 
plays an important role for sustainable economic 
development, diversification, inequality reduction, 
and poverty eradication.  
National Development Plan (NDP  11) Broad economic development fra mework, covering 
the period 2017 to 2023.  
Industrial Development Policy (2014)  Policy to expand the industrial base.  
Aid for Trade Strategy (2016)  Strategy for trade -induced economic growth by 
enhancing competitiveness and diversifying exports.  
Nationa l Entrepreneurship Policy (2019)  Policy for supporting an entrepreneurship culture 
focused on  small, medium and micro enterprises 
(SMMEs) and export -oriented companies.  
AGOA National Response Strategy (2015 -2025), as 
revised in 2021  Strategy to benefit fro m the export opportunities 
provided by the United  States ' AGOA  Initiative. It 
identifies  the following  key priority sectors: textiles 
and apparel; meat and meat products; handicrafts; 
jewellery and semi -precious stones; horticulture and 
agro-processing; and natural (indigenous) products.  
Citizen Economic Empowerment Policy (2012)  Policy to benefit from the trade opportunities availed 
by the evolving trade environment and relations.  
National E -Commerce Strategy (2021)  Aims to boost economic growth and raise Botswana's 
competitiveness.  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
2.11.  Some strategies  aimed at responding to the economic and social consequences of the 
COVID -19 pandemic  (e.g. the Economic Stabilization Package, the Economic Recovery and 
Transformation Plan, and the Reset  and Reclaim  Agenda (Section  1.2)) also have some trade 
implications , including with respect to facilitating imports of essential goods and medical products.  
2.12.  Over the review period, the following new or revised trade -related laws entered into force: 
the Customs Act  (2018); the Excise Act  (2018);  the Competition Act (2018) ; the Industrial 
Development Act  (2019); the Trade Act  (2019) ; and the Public Procurement Act (2021).  
2.3  Trade agreements  and arrangements  
2.3.1   WTO  
2.13.  Botswana joined the WTO on 31  May 1995. It accepted the 2005 Protocol Amending the 
TRIPS  Agreement  in June  2014, and the 2014 Protocol concerning the Agreement on Trade 
Facilitation (TFA) in June  2015. Under the TFA, Botswana notified all Category  A, B, and C 
designations, as well as the indicative dates and definitive dates in Categor ies B and C.23 As of 
June 2023, only notifications on the provision and progress of technical assistance were due.24 
Botswana is not party to any of the WTO's plurilateral agreements. It has not joined the Buenos  Aires 
Ministerial Conference Joint Statement Initiatives on e -commerce, inv estment facilitation for 
development, and services domestic regulation. While Botswana did not support the Buenos  Aires 
Declaration on Women and Trade, it participates in the Informal Working Group on Trade and 
Gender. It is not a participant in the inform al working group on MSMEs.  
 
23 WTO TFA: Category B: Provisions that the Member will implement after a transitional period following 
the entry into force of the Agreement. Category C: Provisions that the Member will implement on a date after  a 
transitional period following the entry into force of the Agreement and requiring the acquisition of assistance 
and support for capacity -building. This support will be made available through a range of partners, working in 
cooperation with the WTO.  
24 WTO TFA database , Botswana . Viewed  at: https://www.tfadatabase.org/en/members/botswana .  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  2.14.  Botswana has never participated in any trade dispute before the WTO's dispute settlement 
mechanism. It submits tariff and trade data annually to the WTO Integrated Database  (IDB) and 
continues to make regular notifications to the WTO (Table  2.3). However, some notifications were 
outstanding as of 30 June  2023: 
• Agriculture : use of special safeguard, export subsidies, and domestic support.  
• Market Access : import licensing procedures, and quantitative restrictions;  and customs 
valuation (checklist of issues).  
• Rules : subsidies and countervailing measures (new and full notification under Article 25.1, 
and countervailing measures legislation) , and state-trading enterprises.  
Table  2.3 Notifications to the WTO, 1  January  2014–31 July 2023 
WTO agreement  Description of 
requirement  Periodicity  Most recent notification  
Agreement on Agriculture  
Articles 5.7 and 18.2 
(MA:5)  Annual use of the special 
safeguard provisions  Annual 
since 1996  G/AG/N/BWA/33 , 20/06/2018  
Article  18.2 (DS:1)  Domestic support  Annual 
since 1996  G/AG/N/BWA/37 , 13/10/2022  
Articles 10 and 18.2 
(ES:1)  Export subsidies (volumes 
and outlays)  Ad hoc  G/AG/N/BWA/32 , 20/06/2018  
Agreement on Rules of Origin  
Article  5 New rules of origin  Ad hoc  G/RO/N/227 , 12/07/2021  
Paragraph 4 of 
Annex  II Preferential rules of origin   G/RO/N/158 , 21/07/2017  
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures  
Article  25 Countervailing actions taken  Every 2 
years  G/SCM/N/284/BWA ; 
G/SCM /N/315/BWA , 26/03/2018  
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade  
Article  10.6 Information about technical 
regulations, standards, and 
conformity assessment  Once 126 notifications  
G/TBT/N/BWA/38 , 19/04/2016 to  
G/TBT/N/BWA/164 , 19/01/2023  
Agreement on Customs Valuation  
Article  22 Change of laws and 
regulations  Ad hoc  G/VAL/N/1/BWA/1 , 28/11/2022  
Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures  
Article  7.3 Import licensing procedures  Annually  G/LIC/N/3/BWA/1 , 06/07/2021  
Articles 1.4(a) and/or 
8.2(b)  Changes in administrative 
procedures  Ad hoc  G/LIC/N/1/BWA/1 , 26/02/2018  
Source:  Compiled by the WTO Secretariat , based on notifications database . 
2.3.2   Regional and preferential agreements  
2.15.  Botswana has signed some RTAs through SACU and SADC (Main  Report, Section  2). In 
addition, it has trade agreements with Zimbabwe (signed in 1956 and amended in 1988 and  2010) 
and Malawi (also signed in 1956). However, bilateral trade with these two partners is mainly 
undertaken under the provisions of the SADC Protocol on Trade, except in cases where the rules of 
origin under the agreement between Botswana and Malawi are easier to comply with.  
2.16.  In February  2023, Botswana ratified the African Continent al Free Trade Area  (AfCFTA).  
Botswana's offer was done through SACU (Main  Report, Section  2.4.2). 
2.3.3   Other agreements  and arrangements  
2.17.  Products originating from Botswana are eligible for non -reciprocal preferences, including lower 
tariffs or preferential tari ff quotas under, inter alia, the United  States ' African Growth and 
Opportunity Act (AGOA), and the Generalized System of Preferences  (GSP schemes) of Armenia, 
Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz  Republic  (including in the duty -free treatment scheme 
for LDCs), New  Zealand , Norway, the Russian  Federation , and the United  States  (Main Report, 
Section 2.5) . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  2.4  Investment  regime  
2.18.  Botswana does not have a specific law on FDI; a draft investment facilitation law was 
completed in 2016 but has not been enacted.25 At the  time of Botswana's previous Review, it was 
noted that the many  laws and regulations that regulate FDI, together with the administrative and 
bureaucratic bottlenecks that exist to obtain licen ces and permits, considerably compromise 
Botswana's competitiven ess to attract FDI.26 In an effort to address some of these issues, a new 
Trade Act was enacted 2019, replacing legislation previously in force. Changes were introduced to 
expedite the licensing process for businesses in areas where there are no health and  safety issues.  
2.19.  Botswana applies restrictions on FDI under the Industrial Development Act, the Trade Act, 
the Liquor Act , and the Mines and Minerals Act mainly to support the development of local small -scale 
businesses and mining (Table  2.4). 
Table 2.4 De jure FDI restrictions, 2023  
Activity  Legislative basis  
The Industrial Development Act covers licensing and registration requirements 
for manufacturing enterprises. It gives the Minister the authority to reserve 
industrial licences for citizens of Botswana or companies wholly owned by 
citizens of Botswana (Article  5 and Article  16(2)(a)). This notwithstanding, joint 
ventures between citizens and non -citizens may be approved by the Minister  
responsible  for medium and large enterprises. In such cases , the citizen partner 
must hold a 51% share in the joint venture.  
Under the Industrial Development Regulations (Article  11), the following items 
are restricted to citizens of Botswana or companies wholly owned by citizens of 
Botswana: bricks; burglar bars, gates and windows; candles; fencing materials 
excluding gum poles; floor polish; packaging; protective clothing; roof trusses; 
school furniture; school uniforms; screen printing and embroidery; signage, 
including  electronic signage; traditional crafts; and traditional leather products.  Industrial Development 
Act, 2019 
Industrial Development 
(Amendment) 
Regulations, 2020  
The Trade Act covers certification, licensing , and registration requirements for 
businesses o perating in Botswana. It gives the Minister the authority to declare 
a trade or business to be reserved for citizens of Botswana or companies wholly 
owned by citizens of Botswana. This notwithstanding, joint ventures between 
citizens and non -citizens may b e approved by the Minister  responsible  for 
medium and large enterprises (Article  17). 
Under the Trade Regulations, businesses that are restricted to citizens of 
Botswana or companies wholly owned by citizens of Botswana are agentsa; 
auctioneers; car washin g businesses; cell phone shops; cleaning services; curio 
shops; dry clean depots; florists; general dealersb; general hire servicesc; 
imported pre -owned motor dealer businesses; Internet café or copy shop 
businesses; and laundromat businesses.  Trade Act No . 25, 2019; 
and Trade Regulations , 
2020 
 
Establishments selling liquor, other than bars linked to hotels , may only be 
owned by citizens of Botswana or companies wholly owned by citizens of 
Botswana.  Liquor Act , 2003 
 
Small -scale mining is restricted to citizens of Botswana or companies wholly 
owned by citizens of Botswana.  Mines and Minerals Act, 
1999 
a An "agent" is defined as a business that supplies goods for sale but does not keep any stock.  
b A "general dealer" is defined as a business selling a wide range of groceries and general 
merchandise, including unscheduled medicines or drugs.  
c "General hire se rvices" are defined as a business that lets out small machinery, tools, and 
equipment, together with domestic and office implements.  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
2.20.  There have been no changes to restrictions on the ownership and transfer o f land over the 
review period. These are described in detail in Botswana's previous Review. In brief, freehold land, 
excluding for agriculture, is the only type of land that can be purchased by or transferred to foreign 
nationals. Freehold land accounts fo r around 3% of Botswana's total land area. State -owned land 
 
25 U.S. Department of State,  2021 Investment Climate Statements: Botswana.  Viewed  at: 
https://www.state.gov/reports/2021 -investment -climate -statements/botswana/ . 
26 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016, Section  2.4. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  and tribal land can be leased.27 Under the 2019 Transfer Duty (Amendment) Act, the transfer duty 
on immovable property acquired by foreigners was reduced.  
2.21.  The BITC combines the role of investment and trade promotion authority and by managing 
"Brand Botswana".28 Through the BITC's Botswan a One Stop Service Centre  (BOSSC), accredited 
investors are assisted with company registration; licence applications; visa and work permit 
applications; energy, telecommunications, and water supply contracts; registration for income tax 
and VAT; access to industrial and commercial properties; allocation of factory space; compliance 
with Environmental Impact Assessment s (EIA); general advice on the business climate, regulatory 
regime, and investment opportunities; and opening a bank account online. Investors  can also 
register their companies directly with the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority  (CIPA) 
through the Online Business Registration System  (OBRS).29 The business registration process is 
expected to be done within 10  days.30 In the context of  the Government's SOE Rationalization 
Strategy  II (Section  3.3.5.2), there are plans to merge the BITC with the Special Economic Zones 
Authority and the Botswana Tourism Organization, as well as to transfer the functions of SPEDU 
(Section  3.2.4), which inc lude investment promotion, to BITC. Investment incentives are largely 
granted by the Special Economic Zones Authority  (SEZA) or the Ministry of Finance (Sections  3.2.4 
and 3.3.1).  
2.22.  Tax incentives to promote investment are available to International Financial Services 
Centre  (IFSC) certified companies , companies accredited to an Innovation Hub , manufacturing 
companies , investments under a "Development Approval Order" , companies investing in the SPEDU 
region31, and companies operating wit hin Special Economic Zones (Section  3.3.1). There are no 
foreign exchange controls or restrictions on capital outflows.  
2.23.  The Government continues to implement its 2010 Investment Strategy , which aims to enable 
a conducive environment for both domestic and f oreign companies. The Strategy is being reviewed 
with the aim of increasing Botswana's attractiveness for investment.32 
2.24.  Botswana is a member of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and of the 
International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Di sputes. It has bilateral investment 
treaties  (BITs) in force with Germany and Switzerland and double taxation agreements  (DTAs) in 
force with France, Mauritius, Namibia, the Russian  Federation, South  Africa, Sweden, the 
United  Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. Severa l other BITS and DTAs have been signed but have not yet 
entered into force.  
 
 
27 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016, Section  2.4. 
28 BITC. Viewed  at: https://www.bitc.co.bw/ .  
29 CIPA, Starting a Business in Botswana . Viewed  at: https://www.cipa.co.bw/types -of-entities .  
30 U.S. Department of State, 2022 Investment Climate Statements: Botswana . Viewed  at: 
https://www.state.gov/reports/2022 -investment -climate -statements/botswana/   
31 The SPEDU region comprises the Selebi -Phikwe East, Selebi -Phikwe West, Bobonong, Mmadinare , and 
Lerala -Maunatlala areas.  
32 Botswana Daily News  (2023), "Ministry Seeks to Make Botswana More Attractive", 21 March. 
Viewed  at: https://dailynews.gov.bw/news -detail/72142 . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3  TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE  
3.1  Measures directly affecting imports  
3.1.1   Customs procedures  and requirements  
3.1.  Customs procedures in Botswana are regulated by th e Customs Act (Act No.  33 of 2018) and 
the Excise Duty Act (Act No.  34 of 2018), which have replaced the Customs and Excise Duty Act.  
The two acts are supported by the customs and excise regulations that are undergoing revision to 
align with the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA). The authorities state that the revisions 
aim to simplify and streamline customs procedures; implement risk management in customs 
controls; enable electronic processing of declarations, registrations, and licences;  and allow for 
electronic payments of customs fees. They also envisage the exchange of information among 
relevant institutions as a step towards setting up a national single window.  
3.2.  Importers need to register as a business or a company under the Companies Act, and obtain a 
trading licence under the Trade Act.  All importers must register with the Customs and Excise Division 
of the Botswana Unified Revenue Service  (BURS).  
3.3.  Botswana ratified the TFA on 18  June 2015. The current rate of implementation commitment s 
stands at  87.8%, with a time -frame spanning from February  2017 to December  2027.33 In 2019, 
Botswana notified to the WTO that in line with the TFA, the use of customs brokers is not mandatory. 
Customs clients decide if they wish to engage the services of  a clearing agent, who must be licensed 
by BURS. The Customs Act provides for the registration, licensing, and regulation of customs brokers 
by BURS. One requirement for a Customs broker to be licensed is that at least one of the directors 
of the company m ust be a qualified clearing clerk, with a minimum of two  years of work in Customs 
or related experience .34 
3.4.  From 2017,  Botswana changed its customs management system from ASYCUDA to a 
customized web application developed by Crimsonlogic Pte Ltd. When goods are imported into or 
exported from Botswana, they must be declared to Customs with a relevant customs form and 
supporting documents (e.g.  import licence, invoice, and certificates of origin).35 The form and the 
documents are processed electronically. The a uthorities indicate that, in  2022, 89.3% of imported 
goods went through the green lane (i.e.  no documentary review or physical inspection), while 9.1% 
went through the yellow lane (documentary review) and 1.6% through the red lane (both 
documentary review and physical inspection).  
3.5.  Botswana does not require  pre-shipment inspection (PSI). In 2021, Botswana notified to the 
WTO that it has no laws or regulations relating to PSI.36 
3.6.  In November  2022, Botswana notified to the WTO its customs valuation legislation – the 
Customs Act.37 In accordance with this Act, the primary base for customs value is the transaction 
value. When Customs does not accept the declared transaction value, the customs value is going to 
be, in sequence, the transaction value of identical go ods, transaction value of similar goods, 
deductive method, computed value, and the fall -back method (i.e.  any method consistent with the 
provisions of the WTO  Agreement on Customs Valuation and of Article  VII of the GATT  1994).  
3.7.  Botswana notified to the WTO  that its non -preferential rules of origin are provided for under 
the Customs Act (sections 309 -311).38 Goods are considered as originating in a country or territory 
if they have been wholly obtained or produced in that country or territory, or if at least  25% of the 
production cost is accounted for by materials originating and work performed in that territory, the 
last process in the production or manufacturing has taken place in that territory, or any other process 
as prescribed by the MTI. 
 
33 WTO TFA database. Viewed  at: https://www.tfadatabase.org/en/members/botswana . 
34 WTO document G/TFA/N/BWA/2 , 22 October  2019. 
35 BURS , Overview . Viewed  at: https://www.burs.org.bw/index.php/customsexcisemain/customs -
clearance/overview .  
36 WTO document G/PSI/N/1/Rev.5/Add.1 , 14 October  2021. 
37 WTO document G/VAL/N/1/BWA/1 , 28 November  2022. 
38 WTO document G/RO/N/227 , 12 July 2021. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.8.  Preferential rules of origin are applied by all SACU members under the Southern Africa 
Development Community (SADC) protocol on trade; the EPAs with the European  Union and with the 
United  Kingdom; and the RTAs with EFTA and with Mercosur (Main  Report, Sect ion 2.4). They are 
also applied under Botswana's bilateral trade agreements with Malawi and Zimbabwe. Under the 
Botswana -Malawi Trade Agreement, preferential treatment is granted to goods wholly obtained and 
manufactured in either country, with the excepti on of spirits  (Article  7(6) of the 1956 Agreement).39  
In terms of the Botswana -Zimbabwe Trade Agreement, the rules of origin require a minimum 25% 
local content.40 
3.9.  Tariffs, excise duties, and most rebates and drawbacks are harmonized within SACU 
(Main  Report, Section  3.3). 
3.10.  Customs collects value added tax (VAT) and various levies at the border.  
3.11.  VAT is applied both on domestic and imported goods and services, including from other SACU 
members. The standard VAT rate was increased from 12% to 14% on 1 April 2021, but lowered to 
12% again on 3  August  2022 (until 31  March  2023) with a view to reducing the impact of inflation 
on the economy. From 1  April 2023, the standard VAT rate returned to 14%.  
3.12.  According to the VAT Act, zero -rate VAT applies to follo wing goods and services: exports of 
goods; sorghum or maize meal, millet grain and meal, wheat grain, maize cobs, flour, sugar, and 
Setswana beans; fuel (petrol, diesel oil, and illuminating paraffin); fertilizers, pesticides, and farming 
tractors; and int ernational transport services. Domestic passenger transport services; financial, 
educational, and medical services; long -term residential letting; and the supply of prescription drugs 
are among the services that are exempt from VAT.41 
3.13.  Botswana collects the  following  levies on imported and domestically produced goods:  
• Alcohol levy: 35% of the cost of intoxicating beverages, with a view to discouraging alcohol 
abuse;  
• Tobacco levy: 30% of the cost of production or imports of tobacco and tobacco products;  
• Fuel levy: imports of petrol and diesel are subject to a fuel levy of BWP  0.12 per  litre for 
petrol and BWP  0.07 per  litre for diesel. The levy is collected at point of entry and is used 
to finance the National Petroleum Fund (NPF) to stabilize the price of pet roleum products 
in the domestic market;  
• Plastic levy: BWP  0.10 per plastic shopping bag, to encourage consumers to use 
biodegradable bags instead;  
• Levy on sugar -sweetened beverages: BWP  0.20 per  gramme of sugar, on beverages with 
a sugar content in excess of 4 grammes per 100  ml, with a view to discouraging the 
consumption of sugar -sweetened beverages for health reasons;  
• Levy on technical devices: 1% or 2% of the value of electronic devices that can store or 
manipulate music  (Section 3.3. 7.3.1); 
• Wheat flour  levy: 9% of the import value of wheat flour exceeding 12.5  kg.42 The levy, 
which was only collected on imports, was discontinued from 5  November  2021 in 
accordance with Statutory Order No.  92 of 2021.  
 
39 Malawi Investment and Trade Centre, Trade Information Portal, Bilateral Trade Agreements between 
Malawi and Botswana . Viewed  at: https://mitc.mw/trade/index.php/malawi -and-botswana.html .  
40 BURS , Botswana -Zimbabwe Trade Agreement . Viewed  at: 
https://www.burs.org.bw/index.php/customsexcisemain/international -trade -agreements/botswana -zimbabwe -
trade -agreement#:~: text=In%20terms%20of%20the%20Botswana,due%20and%20payable%20  
where%20applicable .  
41 Second Schedule Exempt Supplies , Chapter  50:03 (Value Added Tax).  
42 WTO document G/LIC/N/3/BWA/1 , 6 July 2021. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.14.  Botswana is planning to introduce tax stamps on import ed and locally produced alcoholic 
beverages and tobacco; according to the authorities, this is to improve traceability of the affected 
goods and reduce smuggling. The authorities state that the project is at the design stage.  
3.1.2   Import prohibitions, restricti ons, and licensing  
3.15.  In accordance with Article  35(1) of the Customs Act, goods are prohibited from importation 
into or exportation from Botswana if they are against, inter alia, public order, security, morality, or 
health; the protection of national treasur es, intellectual property, or consumers; or combating 
money laundering or financing of an act of terrorism. Thus, the following products are prohibited 
from importation: narcotics, habit -forming drugs, and related substances in any form; military 
firearms,  ammunition, and explosives; i ndecent and obscene materials such as pornographic  books, 
magazines, films, videos, DVDs, and software; and semi -precious stones.43 
3.16.  In addition, cigarettes with a mass of more than 2  kg per 1,000  cigarettes are prohibited from  
importation.44 The First Schedule of the Plant Protection Regulations lists all plants that are 
prohibited from importation.  
3.17.  In 2018, Botswana notified to the WTO the legislation related to import licensing procedures45, 
and in  2021 it notified its replies to a questionnaire on import licensing procedures (Table  3.1).46 
Table  3.1 Goods subject to import control measures , 2023  
Legislation  Description  Permit issuance 
agency  Purpose of control  
Control of Goods, Prices and 
Other Charges Act  Cereal, pulses, horticulture  Department of 
Agribusiness Promotion, 
Ministry of Agriculture  Monitoring of imports – 
permits issued 
automatically and 
immediately on request  
Diseases of Animals Act  Fish and fish products  Department of Animal 
Products, Department of 
Veterinary Services  Prevent the 
introduction, 
establishment, and 
spread of diseases  
Plant Protection Act  Plants and plant products  Division of Plant 
Protection  Prevent the 
introduction, spread, 
and establishment of 
plant pests  
Medicines and Related 
Substances Act  Medicines, medical devices, and 
cosmetics  Botswana Medicines 
Regulatory Authority  Promote and protect 
human and animal 
health  
Precious and Semi -Precious 
Stones (Protection) Act  Rough di amonds  Diamond Hub  Kimberley Process 
Certification Scheme   
Importation of Bees Act  Bees  Department of Animal 
Production  
 Prevent the introduction 
of the disease among 
bees known as "foul 
brood"  
Fish Protection Act  Fishing boats  Department of Wildlife 
Conservation and 
National Parks  Control boats employed 
in fishing  
Arms and Ammunition Act  Arms and ammunitions  Botswana Police Service  Public order and 
security  
Wildlife Conservation and 
National Parks Act  Animal trophies and meat, and 
articles from them  Department of Wildlife 
Conservation and 
National Parks  Protect wildlife  
Source:  WTO documents G/LIC/N/1/BWA/1 , 26 February  2018; and G/LIC/N/3/BWA/1 , 6 July 2021; and  
information provided by the authorities.  
3.18.  Validity of import permits varies, from not exceeding 30 days to 1, 2, 3, or 6 months. Unused 
permits are generally not transferrable, and there is no penalty for non -use of a  permit.47 
 
43 These include agate , amethyst , Botswana pin k agate,  jade, rose quartz, carnelian, chalcedony, cr ystal 
quartz, tourmaline, jasper, tanzanite, garnet, moss agate, tiger's eye, sodalite, aquamarine, azurite , and 
malachite. Botswana Customs: Import Regulations by Customs . Viewed  at: 
https://botswana.visahq.com/customs/#!import -regulations .  
44 WTO document G/LIC/N/1/BWA/1 , 26 February  2018. 
45 WTO document G/LIC/N/1/BWA/1 , 26 February  2018.  
46 WTO document G/LIC/N/3/BWA/1 , 6 July 2021. 
47 WTO document G/LIC/N/3/BWA/1 , 6 July 2021. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.19.  The Government imposes import restrictions, through statutory instruments, for selected food 
and agricultural products , as well as some other products,  to support local producers48: 
• Sugar: under S.I.s  No. 14 of 2006 and No.  86 of 2008, the impor tation of pre -packed 
refined sugar requires a n import  permit from the Department of Trade Development 
(DTD)49, unless the sugar is in minimum packages of 50  kg, with a view to encouraging 
domestic packaging. This does not apply to speciality sugar, and qua ntities not more than 
12.5 kg of sugar imported for household consumption.  
• Salt: under S.I.  No. 10 of 2015, the importation of salt in quantities smaller than 100  kg 
requires an import permit from the DTD50, with a view to encouraging domestic packaging. 
This does not apply to quantities of not more than 1  kg of table or coarse salt imported 
for household consumption, and to speciality salt.  
• Bottled water: under S.I.  No. 44 of 2018, the importation of bottled natural or mineral 
water of less than 10  litres requires an import permit from the DTD, with a view to 
encouraging domestic packaging.  
• Baked goods: under S.I.  No. 102 of 2020, the importation of baked goods is restricted 
with a view to promoting the development of the local baked goods sector. In the ev ent 
of domestic shortage, an import permit may be issued (on request) by the DTD.  
• Maize extruded snacks: under S.I.  No. 55 of 2021, the importation of maize extruded 
snacks is restricted. If an applicant has bought at least 40% of maize extruded snacks 
from local suppliers, and wishes to import the remaining percentage, an import permit 
from the DTD may be issued; importers need to present receipt of local purchase.  
• School uniforms: under S.I.  No. 76 of 2021, the importation of school uniforms is 
restricted ; the authorities indicate that this is to promote local industries.  
• Wheat flour: under S.I.  No. 92 of 2021, the importation of wheat flour is restricted, and 
import permits from the DTD are required. According to the authorities, this is to 
encourage economic diversification, and promote development of local millers.  
3.20.  Import permits for certain agricultural products are conditional on local purchases, according 
to the Control of Goods  (Import Control) Regulations . Imports are authorized if the  applicant submits 
proof (invoices for local purchase) that a specific amount has already been purchased in Botswana. 
Importers need to submit the proof to the Ministry of Agriculture to apply for an import permit  
(Section 4.1.2.1).51 
3.21.  The Government starte d to restrict the  import ation of 16 vegetable products from 
1 January  2022, with a view to  protect ing and encourag ing domestic production and food 
self-sufficiency  (Section 4.1 .2.1).52 
3.22.  The First Schedule of the Control of Goods (Import Control) Regulations lists the following 
agricultural products as being restricted from importation: animal feed for poultry and livestock, 
banana, beetroot, butternut, cabbage, carrot, fresh milk, green p epper, maize, maize products, 
mango, onion , orange, potato , pulse, pumpkin, sorghum, sorghum products, sweet potato, tomato, 
watermelon, and wheat  (Section 4.1.2.1) . The Second Schedule lists the same products (apart from 
animal feed for poultry and livest ock), with a specified weight per person. No permit is required for 
imports of these products if the weight does not go beyond the specified weight.  
 
48 Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (2021), The 2021/2022 Budget -in-Brief. 
49 WTO document G/LIC/N/3/BWA/1 , 6 July 2021. 
50 WTO document G/LIC/N/3/BWA/1 , 6 July 2021. 
51 Control of Goods (Import Control) Regulations (under Section  3), 25 November 1985; S.I. 66, 2005 . 
52 This applies to imports from all sources and to the following products: tomatoes, carrots, beetroots, 
potatoes, cabbag e, lettuce, garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, chili peppers, butternut s, watermelon, sweet 
peppers, green corn , and fresh herbs.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.1.3   Other measures affecting imports – TRIMS  
3.23.  Botswana notified to the WTO that, as per Article  6.2 of the Agree ment on Trade -Related 
Investment Measures (TRIMS Agreement), trade -related investment measures may be found in the 
Botswana Investment and Trade Centre Act.53 
3.2  Measures directly affecting exports  
3.24.  According to the authorities, Botswana aims to diversify the economy through export -oriented 
industrialization into non -traditional sectors.  
3.2.1   Export procedures and requirements  
3.25.  In general, customs requirements and procedures for exports from Botswana are similar to 
those for imports (Section  3.1.1). Exporters must re gister as a business or a company under the 
Companies Act, and obtain a trading licence under the Trade Act (for registered businesses or 
companies). All exporters wishing to export under trade agreements must register with BURS to 
certify origin of their products. The Customs Division in the BURS issues certificates of origin for 
exports from Botswana.  
3.26.  Rough diamonds exported from Botswana need to have a valid Kimberley Process Certificate  
issued by the Ministry of Minerals, Green Technology and Energy Sec urity (Diamond Office).  
3.2.2   Export taxes, charges, and levies  
3.27.  In accordance with the Cattle Export and Slaughter Levy Act No.  10 of 2005, exports of live 
cattle and locally slaughtered cattle (at the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) abattoirs, municipal 
abattoir s, private abattoirs, and local butchers) are subject to a levy of BWP  30 per  head. The 
authorities indicate that revenue from the levy is used to, inter alia, help exporters meet 
requirements of their destination markets.  
3.2.3   Export prohibitions, restrictions , and licensing  
3.28.  Exports of unprocessed semi -precious stones are prohibited. According to the authorities, this 
is to ensure value addition through processing in Botswana.  
3.29.  A number of products require export permits for various reasons (Table  3.2). 
Table  3.2 Goods subject to export permit, 2023  
Legislation  Description  Permit issuance agency  Rationale  
Control of Goods (Import 
Control) Regulations, 
Second Schedule)  10 kg per person: beetroot, 
butternuts, carrots, green 
pepper, mangoes, pumpkin, 
sweet potato, watermelon, 
tomatoes;  
15 kg per person: onions 
and oranges;  
20 kg per person: bananas, 
potatoes  
25 kg per person: maize, 
maize products, pulses, 
sorghum, sorghum products, 
wheat  
30 kg per p erson: cabbage  
2 litres per person: fresh 
milk 
 
Permits are required for 
products which exceed the 
quantities specified above  Department of Agribusiness 
Promotion, Ministry of 
Agriculture  
 Food security  
 
53 WTO document G/TRIMS/N/2/Rev.24/Add.5 , 23 September  2015. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Legislation  Description  Permit issuance agency  Rationale  
Control of Goods (Import 
Control) Regulations,  
Third Schedule)  Castor beans, groundnuts, 
maize, maize products, 
millet, millet products, 
pulses, sorghum, sorghum 
products, sunflower seed, 
and wheat  
 
 
 
No permit is required for 
exports of maize, maize 
products, pulses, sorghum 
and sorghum p roducts, and 
wheat if their weight is 
within the specified weight 
under the Second Schedule 
of the same Regulation  Permits are issued to holders 
of a valid trading licence, 
and/or SPS permits or 
certificates from the Botswana 
Bureau of Standards.  
Departmen t of Agribusiness 
Promotion, Ministry of 
Agriculture  
 
Permits are issued to holders 
of a valid trading licence, 
and/or SPS permits or 
certificates from the Botswana 
Bureau of Standards  Food security  
Control of Goods (Export 
of Grapple Plant) 
Regulations  Grapple plant or Devil's Claw 
(Harpagophytum 
procumbens ) or any part 
thereof  Agricultural Resources Board  Protect 
indigenous 
species  
Wildlife Conservation 
and National Parks Act  Wild animals or their 
products (trophy or meat)  Department of Wildlife and 
National Parks  Protect wildlife  
Source:  Control of Goods (Import Control) Regulations (under Section  3), 25 November 1985; S.I. 66, 2005, 
 and information from the authorities.  
3.30.  Under S.I.  No. 153 of 2014, from 2015, Botswana res tricts the export of ferrous and 
non-ferrous metal scrap and waste54, with a view to improving accessibility of scrap metal by local 
foundries, including recyclers, mills, and smelters. Domestic foundries (currently, there is only one) 
purchase scrap metal  at a price 28% below the international trading price. Scrap metal dealers must 
satisfy local demand before they can obtain an export permit. Exporters need to register with and 
obtain a permit from the  Department of Industry Development.  
3.2.4   Export support  and promotion  
3.31.  Botswana notified the WTO Committee on Agriculture that it did not provide any export 
subsidies to agricultural products from FY2013/14 to FY2017/18.55 The authorities state that this 
remains factual, i.e. no export subsidies have been provided  to agricultural products since 
FY2017/18. The authorities indicate that they are in the process of updating WTO notifications  
(Section  4.1.2.3) . 
3.32.  The Government's strategy on economic development – Vision  2036 (Table  2.2) – aims to 
develop Botswana as a high -income country by 2036, with an export -led economy underpinned by 
diversified, exclusive, and sustainable growth driven by high levels of productivity.56 The 
Government plans to, inter alia, promote export -led growth b y securing global markets for locally 
produced goods and services, and provide soft loans to existing businesses (the BWP  1.3 billion 
Industry Support Facility) (Section  4).57 
3.33.  Botswana continues to develop its Special Economic Zones (SEZs) with the objecti ve of 
diversifying both the industrial and export bases, and reducing its reliance on mineral exports. SEZs  
are categorized as free trade zones or commercial SEZs; export processing zones; enterprise zones; 
 
54 They refer to ferrous waste and scrap, re -melting scrap ingots of iron and steel (HS  7204); copper 
and brass waste and scrap (HS  7404); nickel waste and scrap (HS  7503); aluminium waste and scrap 
(HS 7602); zinc waste and scrap (HS  7902); tin waste and sc rap (HS  8002); tungsten and articles thereof 
including waste and scrap (HS  8101); molybdenum and articles thereof including waste and scrap (HS  8102); 
tantalum and articles thereof including waste and scrap (HS  8103); and magnesium waste and scrap 
(HS 8104).  
55 WTO documents G/AG/N/BWA/22 , 6 January  2016; G/AG/N/BWA/25 , 6 January  2016; 
G/AG/N/BWA/26 , 28 February  2017; G/AG/N/BWA/29 , 10 November  2017; and G/AG/N/BWA/32 , 
20 June 2018. 
56 Statistics Botswana, Vision  2036.  Viewed  at: https://www.statsbots.org.bw/vision -2036-3.  
57 Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (2021), The 2021/2022 Budget -in-Brief.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  free ports; and single factory economic zones.58 In 2015, the Special Economic Zones Authority 
(SEZA) was set up, to regulate SEZs in Botswana.  
3.34.  Incentives to investors and developers licensed and operating in SEZs include:  
• Corporate income tax: 5% for the first 10  years of operation in an SEZ, and 10% 
thereafter59, compared with the standard corporate tax rate of 22%;  
• VAT: 0% VAT on purchases of raw materials in the manufacture of goods for export;  
• Transfer duty on land and property: exemption from transfer duty when acquiring 
immovable property for pur poses of operating business in SEZs60; 
• Property tax: exemption for 5 years;  
• Duty-free imports: specialized plants and machines for manufacturing purposes;  
• Pre-built factory shells with access to electricity, water, sewage, and other facilities such 
as high -speed Internet and security services; and  
• One-stop shop service: SEZA acts as a one -stop shop to help companies establish 
themselves in SEZs.  
3.35.  In accordance with SEZ  Regulation  2019, investors applying for incentives must present a 
statement indicating the ir intention to engage in manufacturing or processing operations and to 
export 100% of their annual production or sales; exemptions may be granted by the Minister in 
charge of industry (Article  26). 
3.36.  The SEZ  Regulation stipulates that the following business es may be located in an SEZ: 
agrobusiness; manufacturing; warehousing, distribution or logistic services; or internationally traded 
services. Botswana has about nine SEZs, of which four are considered priority zones, with 
development of the other five to f ollow.61 The four priority SEZs aim at becoming an international 
diamond centre with a series of polishing and mineral beautification companies; a cluster for the 
fintech industry to increase financial inclusion; a meat value chain beyond cattle slaughteri ng for 
exports such as the processing of food and leather products; and an area integrating farming, 
agri-business, and food processing.  
3.37.  The Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) functions as Botswana's export promotion  
agency. It implements the Expo rt Development Programme (EDP), which aims at increasing exports 
of products and services that add domestic value and contribute to the diversification of the 
economy. These exports include textiles and garments, meat and meat processing, jewellery 
making,  furniture, arts and crafts, services, leather and leather products, glass and glass products, 
and chemicals.62 The BITC also works with the MTI to promote exports via management of Brand 
Botswana.63 
 
58 KPMG (2021), "Botswana: Tax Incentives Include Reduced Tax Rate for Investors in Special Economic 
Zones", 12 November . Viewed  at: https://kpmg.com/us/en/home/insigh ts/2021/11/tnf -botswana -tax-
incentives -reduced -tax-rate-investors -sez.html .  
59 S.I. No. 89 of 2021 (Income Tax (Special Economic Zones Development Approval) Order, 2021), 
promulgated on 22  October  2021. 
60 Transfer Duty (A mendment) Act, 2022 ; and  Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (2023), 
2023 Budget Speech . Viewed  at: https://www.finance.gov.bw/images/speeches/2023BudgetSpeech.pdf . 
61 Oxford Business Group (2022), "SEZs: Botswana's Strategy for Investment  Exports and 
Diversification ", 20 July. Viewed  at: https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/articles -interviews/sezs -botswanas -
strategy -for-investment -exports -and-diversification .  
62 BITC, Export Development Programme . Viewed  at: https://www.bitc.co.bw/export/exporter -
development -progr am.  
63 UNDP (2021), Simplification of Trade Agreements for the Private Sector – Guide to Exporting to the 
Southern African Development Community . Viewed  at: 
https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/bw/Guide -to-Exporting -to-the-Southern -African -
Development -Community.pdf .  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.38.  The Export Credit Insurance and Guarantee Company Botswa na (Pty) Ltd (BECI) remains the 
only company in Botswana to provide export credit insurance covering both commercial and political 
risks. It also offers a selection of business growth tools such as construction bonds and guarantees.64 
3.39.  In February  2020, the  BECI introduced an Outward Investment Insurance (OII) scheme, to  
protect Botswana enterprises against risks of, inter alia, confiscation, expropriation, nationalization, 
embargo, civil strife, currency inconvertibility, and breach of contract by a soverei gn entity.  
3.3  Measures  affecting production and trade  
3.3.1   Incentives  
3.40.  In 2018, Botswana notified to the WTO that in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 it did not grant 
or maintain within its territory any subsidy as defined in Article  1.1 of the Agreement on Subsidies 
and Countervailing Measures.65 
3.41.  The Minister of Finance may issue Development Approval Orders (DAOs) to grant companies 
tax holidays (zero corporate income tax) for 5 to 10  years. Evaluation requirements for the issuance 
of a DAO are based on job creation and training plans for Botswana citizens, plans to localize 
non-citizen positions, participation by citizens in management and equities held by citizens, location 
of the proposed investment, and the effects of the projects on other economic activi ties, as well as 
on reducing local consumer prices.66 
3.42.  For companies accredited by the BITC as international financial service centre (IFSC) 
companies, the standard corporate tax is reduced  from 22%  to 15%. In addition, they are exempt 
from capital gains ta x and withholding tax, and are subject to zero -rate VAT. They are allowed to 
obtain a refund from the Botswana Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) of 200% of their 
expenditure on training.  
3.43.  Incentives are granted to general manufacturing companies and  innovation hubs, in the form 
of 15% corporate tax; low personal income tax (maximum 25%); possible tax holidays for 5 to 
10 years under the DAO; duty -free importation of machinery and equipment for manufacturing 
purposes; and 200% tax allowance for traini ng costs.  
3.44.  The Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) provides funding and collateral for  
MSMEs, including loans ranging from BWP  500 to BWP  50 million at preferential rates for Botswana 
nationals, credit guarantees for MSMEs, mortgages for Botswana entrepreneurs, and  training and 
mentoring . 
3.3.2   Standards and other technical requirements  
3.45.  The regul atory framework governing standards and technical regulations is contained in the 
Standards Act No.  16 of 1995 and the Standards (Import Inspection) Regulations of 2008.67 The 
Standards (Import Inspection) Regulations were reviewed in 2018 with the aim of addressing certain 
deficiencies including non -compliance with the WTO TBT national treatment principle, and a lack of 
effective sanctions. As of April  2023, the draft amendments to the regulation were undergoing legal 
vetting.  
3.46.  The Botswana Bureau of Standa rds (BOBS) is the national enquiry point under the 
WTO TBT Agreement. It is a member of the International Organization for Standardization, an 
Affiliate  Plus member of the International Electrotechnical Commission, and a member of the 
African  Organi zation for Standardi zation. It participates in SADC's TBT structures  (SADCSTAN) . Over 
the review period , BOBS has signed M oUs providing for inter -institutional cooperation with the 
Namibia Standards Institute, the Kenya Bureau of Standards, and the Turkish Standa rds Institute. 
BOBS has also signed the American Society for Testing and Materials  (ASTM) Annex.  
 
64 BECI. Viewed  at: http://www.beci.co.bw/ .  
65 WTO document G/SCM/N/284/BWA , G/SCM/N/315/BWA , 26 March  2018. 
66 BITC, Incentives for Investors.  
67 Standards Act No.  16 of 1995 and Standards Regulations. Viewed  at: 
https://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX -FAOC091763/ . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.47.  In April  2022, the Parliament approved BOBS' National Quality Policy  (NQP 2022).68 This 
Policy aims to strengthen the national quality infrastructure and techn ical regulations framework to 
help secure market access for Botswana's products in foreign markets . Another aim is  to be 
supportive of Botswana's broader industrial diversification and export strategies which are focused 
on developing quality products and  services. It draws attention to several inadequacies in Botswana's 
TBT regime, related to fragmented procedures, regulatory overlap, and lack of enforcement of 
compliance. This has reportedly increased transaction costs and impeded trade. The NQP  2022 
focuses on establishing an internationally recognized national accreditation body; building up 
Botswana's conformity assessment capacity; using Botswana standards in state purchases; 
reviewing and strengthening the National Technical Regulation Framework; int roducing enhanced 
market surveillance and sanctions; ensuring that there are adequate technical regulatory authorities 
to implement technical regulations; and setting up a National Quality Policy Coordination Office. As 
indicated by the authorities , the Co ordination Office has been set up and resides within the Ministry 
of Trade and Industry. Public education about the NQP is ongoing , and NQP implementation and 
communication plans have been approved.  
3.48.  The procedures for setting and reviewing standards are described in detail in Botswana's 
previous Review .69 In brief, the standardization process includes needs identification, proposal, 
drafting, review, validation, approval, and publication. Standardization projects are initiated through 
reques ts from interested parties. Draft standards are reviewed by the technical committees and 
circulated for public comment for two months. Once comments are incorporated, the draft standard 
is sent to the Technical Advisory Committee for approval, and they are  published in the national 
Gazette and thereafter in the Standards Catalogue. Botswana standards are based on standards 
developed by other national, regional, and/or international standardization bodies, and are adopted 
either as they are, or adapted to Bo tswana's cultural, climatic, or industrial or economic 
environment. As of September  2021, Botswana had 2, 153 approved  standards, 1,850  of which had 
been gazetted. The main areas where standards exist are construction  (29%); electrical  (12.7%); 
mechanical  (11.2%); chemicals  (12.8%); food and agricultural products  (10.2%); and 
textiles  (10.1%).  
3.49.  As highlighted in the NQP  2022, the process for developing technical regulations is not uniform 
across government regulatory authorities (these regulatory authorities include the BOBS as well as 
some other ministries (a list of these other ministries was not available)). It notes that this lack of 
consistency in developing technical regulations has led to notification gaps. The NQP  2022 also notes 
that some products sub ject to technical regulations fall under the responsibility of more than one 
regulatory authority ; the resulting overlap in regulatory activities results in different product quality 
requirements and an increased cost to the supplier. The policy also repor ts that local products and 
imported products are often handled differently , and it recognizes that this violates one of the basic 
tenets  of the WTO  TBT Agreement.  
3.50.  With respect to the technical regulations developed by BOBS, standards are used as the basis 
for developing technical regulations. At least two months before making a recommendation for a 
standard to become compulsory, BOBS publishes a preliminary notice in the Gazette outlining the 
details of the technical regulation and inviting comments within a month of the publication of the 
preliminary notice. The titles of all technical regulations falling under BOBS' remit are listed in an 
annex to the Standards (Import Inspection) Regulations.70 The Compulsory Standards Unit within 
BOBS' Department of Regu latory Compliance is responsible for enforcing the technical regulations 
for which it is responsible. As of June  2023, BOBS had 86  technical regulations in force. Most of 
these applied to electrical appliances  (66.3% of total), followed by food  (14.3 %), me chanical 
products  (10%); automotive products  (6%), and chemical products  (3.6%). Reportedly, over 60% 
of these are based on international standards. One technical regulation, on alcohol -based sanitizer , 
was issued under the 2020 Emergency Powers (COVID -19) Regulations.  
3.51.  Botswana has been very active in notifying new technical regulations. Over the period 
1 January  2014 to 31  July 2023, it notified 126  such notifications to the TBT  Committee (Table  2.3), 
compared to a total of 36  submitted prior to this perio d. As of April  2023, Members had not raised 
any specific trade concern in the TBT  Committee about Botswana's technical regulations.  
 
68 This document is not available online.  
69 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016, Annex  1, Section  3.1.7.  
70 These regulations are not available online.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.52.  BOBS operates a Recognition Scheme whereby Recognized Inspection Bodies undertake 
inspections and testing of goods subject t o technical regulations in the country of origin on BOBS' 
behalf prior to export. They also issue the requisite Certificate of Conformity. These entities include , 
inter alia, Bureau Veritas, Intertek Group, TÜV Rheinland, Certification and Inspection Group , 
South  African Bureau of Standards , and Namibian Standards Institute. Recognized Inspection Bodies 
are required to pay an administration fee of 10% of the fees charged by th ese bodies to their clients 
for undertaking inspection services and a recognition fee of BWP  3,000 every financial year.71 
According to authorities, the fees charged to users by Recognized Inspection Bodies are competitive; 
they are monitored (but not regu lated) by BOBS to ensure fair participation that is non -monopolistic. 
As indicated in the NQP  2022, some regulatory authorities in Botswana accept test results from 
third-party laboratories ; however , others insist on testing products in their own laborator ies. 
3.53.  BOBS monitors its regulated goods at the border and charges a nominal administrative fee of 
BWP 150 for import application processes. According to the authorities, if tests are carried out prior 
to import and the results are presented at the time of a pplication, no further testing is done. If a 
product is inspected and is suspected not to meet requirements, then it is given a conditional release 
with the requirement that goods are quarantined at a specific address, pending an investigation. 
Violations of technical regulations are liable for a fine of BWP  5,000 and imprisonment of three years.  
3.54.  Botswana does not have a national accreditation body; it relies on the services of the 
SADC  Accreditation Service (SADCAS) based in Gaborone. The Government has a National Testing 
System composed of governmental, private sector , and parastatal laboratories that provide 
testing/conformity assessment services when required under the framework of M oUs signed with 
BOBS.72 Some of these laboratories are accredited, and others not. The Government may also send 
items for testing in laboratories located outside of Botswana in instances where there is no national 
capacity. Currently, the conformity assessment services provided by BOBS are subsidized by the 
Government; BOBS is  exploring ways to put in place user pay mechanisms to improve its financial 
position.73 
3.55.  As indicated in Botswana's previous Review, labelling requirements largely apply to food 
products and are contained in the following regulations: the Customs and Excis e Duty 
Regulations , 1974 (as amended), the Standards (Import Inspection) Regulations,  2003 
(as amended), the Labelling Control of Goods (Marking of Goods) Regulations,  1974, and the 
Labelling of Food Additives Regulations. Packaging requirements apply  to cigarettes. Information 
was not available regarding any changes to labelling and packing requirements over the review 
period.  
3.3.3   Sanitary and phytosanitary requirements  
3.56.  Botswana's SPS regime has remained substantially unchanged since the previous Review. The 
Ministry of Agriculture remains responsible for adopting and implementing SPS measures. Its Plant 
Protection Division, which is Botswana's National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), implements 
the Plant Protection Act (Cap  35:02), and is the contact poi nt for the International Plant Protection 
Convention (IPPC). The Department of Veterinary Services and the Department of Animal Production 
implement the Diseases of Animals Act (Cap  37:01). The Ministry of Health is responsible for food 
safety and is advis ed by the National Food Control Board, which comprises government officials from 
the Ministries of Health, Agricultural Development and Food Security, and Trade and Industry; the 
Botswana Bureau of Standards; and food industry and consumers.  
3.57.  Botswana's mai n SPS legislation includes the Plant Protection Act (Cap  35:02) and its 
regulations; the Diseases of Animals Act (Cap  37:01) and its regulations; the Livestock and Meat 
Industries Act (Cap  36:03) and its regulations; the Veterinary Surgeons Act (Cap  61:04) ; the 
Importation of Bees Act (Cap  49:02); the Food Control Act (Cap  65:05) and food labelling 
regulations; and the Public Health Act (Cap  63.01).74  
 
71 BOBS, Annual Report 2020/21 . Viewed  at: https://bobstandards.bw/our -annual -reports/. 
72 U.S. International Trade Administration, Botswana – Country Commercial Guide . Viewed  at: 
https://www.trade.gov/country -commer cial-guides/botswana -standards -trade . 
73 NQP 2022. 
74 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016, Table  3.4. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.58.  The Ministry of Agriculture remains the national enquiry point and notification authority on 
SPS matters. Since  2014, Botswana has not submitted any SPS notification to the WTO. The 
authorities state that they are taking steps to ensure SPS notifications are submitted to the WTO by 
the end of 2023. Some of Botswana's TBT notifications cover issues related to S PS. For example, in 
a notification made in  2019, Botswana updated standards that specify, inter alia, compositional 
requirements to produce raw beef products intended for human consumption. The update took into 
consideration the Codex standard for contamin ants and toxins in food and feed.75 In 2022, Botswana 
updated standards specifying requirements to produce whole and dehulled sorghum grains for 
human consumption, and the Codex standard for pesticide residues in food (maximum residue limits) 
was taken int o consideration.76 
3.59.  In a communication to the WTO of September  2017, Botswana informed Members of a 
suspected outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD).77 Towards the end of 2017, Botswana updated 
the situation regarding FMD to the WTO that the outbreak was contained and did not affect beef 
trade in the World Organisation  for Animal Health (WOAH) -recognized FMD -free zones of 
Botswana.78 Botswana also developed a "purified" vaccine against FMD.79 
3.60.  Phytosanitary measures are based on international standards or on a pest risk analysis, 
according to the Plant Protection Act and its regulations. Importers of plants and other plant -related 
material must obtain an import permit issued by the Plant Protection Division of the Ministry of 
Agriculture, and present an original phytosanitary certificate issued in the country of origin.  
3.61.  The Diseases of Animals Act regulates animal disease prevention and  control. Import (or 
export) permits from the Department of Veterinary Services are required for the importation (or 
exportation) of animals and animal products. Botswana separates the WOAH -recognized FMD -free 
area (no buffalo may enter, as they may carry FMD virus) from the livestock -free areas (no livestock 
may enter), with a view to separating livestock and buffalo to prevent the spread of FMD.  
3.62.  Botswana has not yet developed regulations on biotechnology or genetically modified  
organisms (GMOs). The autho rities state that the use of GMO seeds for crop production and feed is 
not allowed.  
3.3.4   Competition  policy and price controls  
3.3.4.1   Competition  policy  
3.63.  A new Competition Act, 2018 came into force on 2  December  2019. It repealed the 
Competition Act, 2009 and introduce d the following changes:  
• Renamed the competition authority as the Competition and Consumer Authority (CCA);  
• Established the Competition and Consumer Board as the governing body of the CCA;  
• Established the Competition and Consumer Tribunal to adjudicate ove r breaches of the 
Competition Act or any appeals;  
• Expanded the general prohibition against abuse of dominant position, and included 
prohibitive behaviours such as predatory conduct, tying and bundling of products, loyalty 
rebates, margin squeeze, refusal t o supply or deal with other enterprises (including a 
refusal to grant access to an essential facility), requiring or inducing any customer to not 
deal with other competitors, discriminating in terms of price or other trading conditions, 
and exclusive deali ng; 
 
75 WTO document  G/TBT/N/BWA/103 , 10 May 2019. 
76 WTO document G/TBT/N/BWA/163 , 27 October  2022. Botswana Bureau of Standards , Cereals Whole 
and dehulled sorghum grains for human consumption — Specification. FDS 26:2022.  
77 WTO document G/SPS/GEN/1572 , 26 September  2017. 
78 WTO document G/SPS/R /88, 20 December  2017. 
79 Announced by the President of Botswana at the WTO's 2nd Presidential Lecture Series on 2  May 2023. 
The Botswana Vaccine Institute produces Aftovaxpur ™, a "Purified Inactivated" FMD virus vaccine . Viewed  at: 
https://bvi -bw.com .  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  • Extended criminal sanctions (a fine, imprisonment, or both) to officers or directors of an 
enterprise that contravenes the horizontal restrictive practice provisions of the 
Competition Act;  
• Introduced provisions to impute personal liability to any dire ctor or officer contravening 
the resale price maintenance provisions of the Competition Act; and  
• Introduced a financial penalty for failing to notify a merger or for implementation of a 
merger prior to its approval , calculated as a fine not exceeding 10% o f the deal in 
consideration or the combined turnover of the parties involved in the merger, whichever 
is larger.80 
3.64.  The Competition Law prohibits certain horizontal and vertical agreements as well as the abuse 
of dominant positions, and requires mergers abo ve a certain threshold to be notified to the 
competent authority. It applies to all the economic activities within, or having effect within, 
Botswana, with the following exceptions: agreements related to intellectual property rights holders; 
enterprises op erating on the basis of statutory monopoly; any practice relating to exports of goods 
from Botswana; conduct designed to achieve a non -commercial socio -economic objective; and 
collective bargaining by unionized workers.81 
3.65.  The CCA is responsible for prevent ing anti -competitive practices in the economy including in 
sectors with their own regulators. It has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with, inter alia, 
the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA); Bank of Botswana; Botswana Energy 
Regulatory Authority (BERA); Non -Banking Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA); 
and the Civil Aviation Authority. The MoUs provide for the establishment of a consultation mechanism 
between the CCA and sectoral regulators.  
3.66.  Where the CCA has reaso nable grounds to suspect a restriction or distortion of competition 
may be occurring, it may initiate a market inquiry. Over the review period, it undertook market 
inquiries in, inter alia, the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market and found extreme market 
concentration in the upstream market with high profit margins; an ongoing inquiry in the 
pharmaceutical sector; inquiries on cartel conduct in abattoirs; tenders in public procurement 
projects of construction services, waste management, and government supp lies; and the animal 
feed market.82 
3.67.  The CCA expressed concern in relation to pyramid schemes, price gouging of essential 
products during the COVID -19 pandemic, and vehicle repair garages (use of substandard or defective 
spare parts, resistance to effect wa rranty terms, and unclear pricing practices). The CCA found that 
the Gaborone Container Terminal Propriety Limited (GABCON) abused its dominant position in the 
container haulage market, and the CCA entered into a settlement agreement with GABCON in 
March  2021.83 The authorities indicate that from 2014 until the time of writing, a total of 
126 anti-competition cases were dealt with by the CCA, among which about 70% were related to 
unilateral conduct, 25% to cartels, and 5% to resale price maintenance.  
3.68.  The CC A is involved in international frameworks on competition policy such as the 
International  Competition Network (ICN). It is currently working with the OECD in undertaking an 
impact assessment on the effectiveness of the legislative framework on pricing and import 
restrictions in the grains sector. The authorities state that the CCA is active in collaborating with 
competition law agencies around the world, particularly in the SADC and Common Market for Eastern 
and Southern Africa (COMESA ) regions.  
3.3.4.2   Price contr ols  
3.69.  The Control of Goods, Prices, and Other Charges Act, 1973 allows the Government, through 
various ministries, to regulate and control the wholesale and retail prices of strategic goods, including 
 
80 Baker McKenzie (2021), Africa Competition Guide – Botswana. Viewed  at: 
https://resourcehub.bakermckenzie.com/en/resources/africa -competition -guide/africa/botswana .  
81 Competition Law , Section  3(3). Viewed  at: 
https://www.competitionauthority.co.bw/sites/default/files/Competition%20Act%202018.pdf .  
82 Baker McKenzie (2021), Africa Competition Guide – Botswana.  
83 Baker McKenzie (2021), Africa Competition Guide – Botswana.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  petroleum products where a maximum retail price was set84; water; electricity; train, certain bus, 
and taxi fares; certain mail and parcel deliveries; and telephone installation and certain telephone 
tariffs with their administered prices.  
3.3.5   State trading, state -owned enterprises, and privatization  
3.3.5.1   State trad ing 
3.70.  Botswana has not made any notifications regarding state -trading enterprises since 1997; 
when it indicated that it had no state -trading enterprises within the meaning of Article  XVII:4(a) of 
the GATT  1994.85 The authorities indicate that notifications in this area are under review and will be 
updated by December  2023.  
3.3.5.2   State -owned  enterprises and privatization  
3.71.  As at the time of the previous Review, there are several state -owned enterprises  (SOEs) 
operating in Botswana. Among these, there are 22  "parastatals" , which perform largely commercial 
activities.86 In addition, there are other enterprises in which the State has a full or partial equity 
stake. SOEs are prevalent in the areas of transport, communications s ervices, mining and energy, 
agriculture, and financial services (Table  3.3). 
Table  3.3 Commercial SOEs in Botswana, 2023  
Sector  State participation 
(%) Main activities  
Transport  
Air Botswanaa 100 Air transport services  
Botswana Railwaysa 100 Rail transport services  
Financial services  
Botswana Savings Banka  Commercial bank  
Botswana Stock Exchangea 100 Stock exchange  
National Development Banka 100 Financial services  
Botswana Development 
Corporationa 100 Development finance  
Citizen Entrepreneurial 
Development Agencya 100 Financial services  
Communications services  
Botswana Fibre Networksa 100 Wholesale provider of telecommunications 
infrastructure  
Botswana Postal Servicesa 100 Postal services and courier services  
Botswana Telecommunications 
Corporation Limiteda 51 Telecommunication services  
Mining and energy  
Botswana Oil Companya 100 Supply and distribution of petroleum products and 
management of storage facilities  
Botswana Power Corporationa 100 Electricity generation, transmission, and 
distribution  
Okovango Diamond Companya 100 Diamond mining  
Minerals Development 
Companya 100 Mining Investment Holding Company  
Debswana Diamond Mining  50 Diamond mining and coal mining  
Botswana Ash (Pty) Ltd.  50 Soda ash and salt mining  
Agriculture  
Banyana Pty. Ltd.  100 Commercial cattle ranch  
Botswana Agricultural 
Marketing Boarda (BAMB)  100 Import/export, marketing, and storage of 
selected agricultural products; and sale of 
agricultural services and inputs  
Botswana Meat Commissiona 100 Cattle abattoir; canning and tanning; beef export; 
and transport  
Other  
Botswana Housing Corporationa 100 Property development  
 
84 Control of Goods, Prices, and Other Charges (Petroleum Prices) Regulations , Section  3, 1 July 2000. 
85 WTO document G/STR/N/1/BWA , 11 February  1997.  
86 A full list of the 61 parastatals was viewed at: https://www.gov.bw/parastatals . These are entities 
established through Act of Parliament for a specific social or economic goal. They include, inter alia, 
22 commercial entities, 15  regulatory entities, and 24  non-commercial entities.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Sector  State participation 
(%) Main activities  
Water Utilities Corporationa 100 Provision of water to urban centres  
Botswana Vaccine Institutea 100 Production and export of vaccines for animals  
DTC Botswana  50 Diamond sorting, valuation, cutting and polishing  
a Indicates parastatals.  
Note:  Botswana Oil Company and BAMB have key storage functions, which are not strictly commercial 
functions.  
Source:  Government of Botswana, Parastatals . Viewed  at: https://www.gov.bw/parastatals . 
3.72.  Over the review period, the Government sold a 49% stake in the Botswana 
Telecommunications Corporation Limited87, and  it divested itself of all its shares (25% of total) in 
the Botswana  Building Society. In addition, BCL Limited (a parastatal mining company fully owned 
by the Government) was shut down and Tati Nickel Mining Company (Pty) Ltd in which the 
Government had a 15% share was liquidated (Section  4.2). The Minerals Development Company 
was established in 2015 (Section  4.2). 
3.73.  The Public Enterprises Evaluation and Priv atization Agency  (PEEPA) has the mandate to 
evaluate the performance of parastatals and to advise on and implement their commercialization 
and privatization. Progress has been slow in advancing the privatization agenda as set out in PEEPA's 
Corporate Strat egy 2016 -2021, due to the absence of centralized funding for privatization transitions 
and delays in appointing the PEEPA Board.88 
3.74.  The main driving force behind privatization plans has been to reduce their burden on the 
government budget, considering the u rgent need to restore fiscal balance. Subsidies to SOEs from 
the recurrent budget for FY2021/22 were BWP  4.08 billion, equivalent to about 2% of GDP. The 
proposed provision for FY2022/23 is BWP  4.02 billion (1.85% of projected GDP). Reportedly, 
subventions  will be reduced in the coming years by requiring SOEs to cover their own costs as well 
as through improvements to SOE efficiency and SOE rationalization.89 
3.75.  In December  2021, the Government approved the SOE Rationalization Strategy  II, which 
aims to privat ize, streamline, merge, or terminate the activities of various entities to  reduce  
inefficiencies and duplication of work, as well to implement some privatizations. Implementation of 
the strategy started in FY2023/2024 (Table  3.4). 
Table  3.4 SOE Rationalization Strategy, selected initiatives  
Initiatives  Form of 
restructuring  Progress as of  
February  2023  
Transform National Development Bank (NDB) into an 
agricultural bank  Rationalization  NDB has issued an invitation 
for expert advice  
Restructure Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency 
to provide loan financing to non -agricultural SMMEs 
based on approved lending thresholds  Rationalization  To be fully pursued after NDB 
transformation  
Restructure Botswana Development Corporation Limited 
to provide loan financing to non -agricultural sectors 
based on approved lending thresholds  Rationalization  To be fully pursued after NDB 
transformation  
Restructure Botswana Railways into two units: rail  
operations (above rail) and rail infrastructure (below 
rail), and outsource marketing of above rail functions to 
the private sector  Rationalization  Funds are being sought for 
the procurement of an advisor 
for the project  
Unbundle and corporatize generati on and Botswana 
Power Corporation (BPC) to retain transmission and 
distribution operations. Private sector to market 
generation assets  Rationalization  The tender for the 
procurement of an advisor to 
unbundle BPC and corporatize 
generation is being finalize d  
Restructure NDB to bring in a strategic management 
partner  Privatization  To be fully pursued after NDB 
transformation  
 
87 Reuters  (2016), " Botswana Sells Stake in State Telecoms Firm", 14 March.  Viewed  at: 
https://www.reuters.com/article/botswana -privatisation -idUSL5N16M42B . 
88 PEEPA, 2018/19 Annual Report . Viewed  at: https://www.peepa.co.bw/about -12/. 
89 2022 Budget Speech. Viewed  at: https://www.finance.gov.bw/images/DevelopmentandBudget/2022 -
23/2022_Budget_Speech -_07_02_22_Final.pdf . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Initiatives  Form of 
restructuring  Progress as of  
February  2023  
Restructure Air Botswana by bringing in a strategic 
partner  Privatization  World Bank has agreed to 
provide technical assistance to 
assess Air Botswana's viability  
Privatize Botswana Savings Bank  Privatization  The project is still at a 
formative stage  
Restructure BAMB by bringing in a strategic partner  Privatization  The project is still at a 
formative stage  
Note:  This table contains only information on the rationalization/privatization of parastatals that operate on 
a commercial basis.  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
3.76.  The Government has embarked upon the development of an SOE Ownership Policy to enhance 
oversight of SOEs by government ministries and to provide mechanisms for enhancing accountability 
in the management of SOEs.90 It has also drafted an SOE code of corpora te governance and its 
implementation framework with a view to improving SOEs' performance. The IMF has recommended 
that audited financial statements of parastatals should be published regularly.91 
3.3.6   Government procurement  
3.77.  Botswana is neither signatory to nor  observer of the WTO plurilateral Agreement on 
Government Procurement.  
3.78.  The Government is the largest consumer of goods and services in Botswana. In FY2020/21, 
the Government spent more than USD  510 million (down from USD  741.8  million in FY2019/20) on 
public procurement, excluding micro procurements, which amounted to USD  27.63  million (down 
from USD  41.8 million in FY2019/20).92 
3.79.  In 2021, Botswana's new public procurement law, the Public Procurement Act (PP  Act) went 
into effect. It repealed the Public Proc urement and Asset Disposal (PPAD) Act, 2001, and regulates 
public procurement of works, services, and supplies by all public procurement entities (including 
SOEs).93 The authorities state that, compared with the PPAD Act 2001, the PP Act 2021 explicitly 
takes into account the Economic Inclusion Act, with a view to ensuring all economic stakeholders 
can participate in public procurement. The authorities also expect that, through the implementation 
of the PP Act 2021, the use of locally produced materials is encouraged.94 
3.80.  Under the PP Act 2021, the public procurement regime is becoming more decentralized. In 
accordance with the Act, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) was established in 
2021 and has been operational since April  2022. Contractors  wishing to participate in government 
tenders must register with the PPRA. It seems that foreign companies registered in Botswana may  
participate in public procurement, unless the purchase is under reservation.  
3.81.  The Act provides for reservation and price pr eference schemes for citizen and citizen 
contractors pursuant to the Government's "economic and social objectives" (Article  72).95 According 
to Article  73, a procuring entity should unbundle a tender to promote participation of a citizen or 
citizen contrac tor. Article  76 further stipulates that, except as otherwise provided under this Act, all 
 
90 According to the authorities, the project is ongoing, having passed the situational analysis stage.  
91 IMF (2022), Botswana: Staff Report for the 2022 Article  IV Consultation , IMF Country Report 
No. 22/247. Viewed  at: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2022/07/25/Botswana -2022-Article -
IV-Consultation -Press -Release -Staff-Report -and-Statem ent-by-the-521327 . 
92 International Trade Administration (2022), Botswana – Country Commercial Guide – Selling to the 
Public Sector. Viewed  at: https://www.trade.gov/country -commercial -guides/botswana -selling -public -sector . 
93 Procurement at the local level is governed by the Local Authority Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 
(LAPAD Act) , while pro curement for parastatals is handled through their own procurement procedures, which 
are vetted by the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) to ensure that they conform to the 
principles of procurement in accordance with the PPAD Act.  
94 Minist ry of Finance and Economic Development (2023),  2023 Budget  Speech . Viewed  at: 
https://www.finance.gov.bw/images/speeches/2023BudgetSpeech.pdf . 
95 "Citizen contractor" means a natural pe rson or an incorporated company wholly owned and controlled 
by persons who are citizens of Botswana.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  works, services, and supplies procurement should be reserved for a citizen or citizen contractor. In 
particular, certain procurement activities are reserved for local  producers or suppliers. These include:  
• Procurement activity offered only by a 100% citizen -owned MSME;  
• Goods manufactured locally by a 100% citizen contractor;  
• Services provided by a citizen or a 100% citizen contractor;  
• A procurement activity intended to  promote innovation, local technology, and the 
commercialization of the procurement activity; and  
• The creation of jobs, capacity -building, and skills transfer.  
3.82.  Procurement methods (Article  52) include open domestic/international bidding, restricted 
domesti c/international bidding, request for quotation, micro procurement, and direct procurement. 
The authorities indicate that Botswana does not collect data on the value of procurement awarded 
using the different methods. According to Article  53 of the PP Act, open domestic bidding should be 
used except as otherwise prescribed.  
3.83.  The PP Act 2021 envisages the establishment of a National eProcurement System (Article  55). 
3.3.7   Intellectual property rights  
3.3.7.1   Overview  
3.84.  In 2022, Botswana was ranked 86th out of the 132  economies featured in WIPO's Global 
Innovation Index and was ranked in 2nd place in the top innovation economies in sub -Saharan 
Africa. While it performs relatively well in the categories of expenditure on education, new 
businesses, loans f rom microfinance institutions, and intellectual property payments, it is 
nevertheless not considered to have an innovation performance in line with its level of 
development.96 
3.85.  Botswana is a net importer of intellectual property (IP). Exports of IP royaltie s and licensing 
fees were negligible over the period 2014 -21, while imports are significant but fluctuating 
(Chart  3.1). 
Chart  3.1 Charges for the use of intellectual property rights, 2014 -22  
(USD  million)  
 
Source:  IMF data. Viewed  at: https://data.imf.org/ . 
 
96 WIPO, Global Innovation Index 2022 .  
0,2 0,1 0,6 0,5 0,3 1,3 0,8 0,5 0,5127,6
86,0113,7111,7109,6
28,0110,0106,5117,6
020406080100120140
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022Exports ImportsChart 3. [BWA] Charges for the use of intellectual property rights, 2014 -22 
Source: IMF data. Viewed at: https://data.imf.org/. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  3.86.  In November  2022, the Government released the Botswana  Intellectual Property 
Policy  (BIPP).97 This recognizes the importance of IP, hitherto absent from national development 
plans, in creating a knowledge -based economy that is among the overarching goals of Vision  2036 
(Section  2). It draws attention to the potential for Botswana to leverage its IP assets, particularly in 
the areas of creative industries, traditional knowledge, and traditional cultural expressions. The BIPP 
has six pillars: (i)  improve the governanc e framework for the protection of IP rights; (ii)  facilitate 
availability and access to financing for IP generation, acquisition, and commercialization; 
(iii) promote IP awareness, education, and training; (iv)  negotiate IP agreements; (v)  develop 
entrepre neurship capacities in selected IP -driven sectors; and (vi) create institutional structures for 
IP development. Specific measures include (i)  ensuring  that government -funded R&D institutions 
develop and implement IP policies aligned to the BIPP; (ii)  reviewing existing IP laws to harmonize 
them with the BIPP and develop ing legislation to protection new plant varieties; (iii)  ensur ing 
institutional coordination in IP enforcement, including border enforcement, inter alia, to encourage 
investment; (iv)  establi shing an IP committee as custodian of traditional knowledge and other 
aspects of IP; (v)  creating financing mechanisms for IP generation and commercialization, through 
incentives for R&D and commercialization; (vi)  establishing business incubators/accelera tors for 
innovative and creative entrepreneurship and model IP business clusters; and (vii) putting in place 
policies and strategies to allow for the emergence of local large -scale IP enterprises. Priority is to be 
given to IP -driven agri -businesses, creat ive industries, the healthcare industry, the tourism sector , 
and the ICT sector. Botswana also plans to establish various institutions to support IP development, 
namely an IPP Coordinating Committee , the Botswana Association of IP Owners , and the Botswana 
Open Innovation Forum.  
3.3.7.2   International context  
3.87.  Botswana is a member of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization  (ARIPO). 
Botswana acceded to two WIPO treaties over the review period: the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate 
Access to Published Works  for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled 
(January  2017) and the Beijing Treaty on Audio Visual Performances (April  2020).98 
3.88.  Over the review period, two  RTAs have entered into force, which contain IP provisions. The  
Economic  Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the United  Kingdom, SACU, and Mozambique99, 
and the EPA between the European  Union and SADC (Section  2).100 Both contain provisions on 
cooperation, information sharing, accession to IP conventions , and enforcement of pro tection.  
3.3.7.3   Domestic IP regime  
3.89.  The Companies and Intellectual Property Office  (CIPA) continues to implement Botswana's 
IP laws and is Botswana's WTO national enquiry point.  The Customs Act , 2018 introduced IP -related 
provisions that allow the BURS to, on its own accord or upon application by the right holder, suspend 
release of suspected infringing goods until verification.101 
3.3.7.3.1   Copyright  
3.90.  There have been no changes to copyright legislation, the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights 
Act (Act No.  6 of 2006), and the Co pyright and Neighbouring Rights Regulations, 2007. The main 
provisions of the legal and regulatory framework are described in detail in Botswana's previous 
Review.102 According to the authorities, the Act is under review, inter alia, to (i) domesticate the 
Marrakesh VIP Treaty and the Beijing Treaty for audio -visual performances; (ii)  include provision for 
 
97 Republic of Botswana, Botswana Intellectual Property Policy 2022.  Viewed  at: 
https://inventa.com/uploads/63d7951a5b429_IP%20Policy%20BIPP%202022%20(1).pdf . 
98 WIPO, Botswana . Viewed  at: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/members/profile/BW . 
99 Economic Partnership Agreement between the Southern African Customs Union Member States and 
Mozambique and the United  Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern I reland. Viewed  at: 
https://www.sacu.int/docs/agreements/2021/SACU -Mozambique -UK-EPA-EN.pdf . 
100 Economic Partnership Agreement  between the E uropean  Union and its Member States and the 
SADC  EPA States. Viewed  at: https://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2016:250:FU LL&from=EN . 
101 Customs Act (2018), Section  H. Viewed  at: 
https://www.botswanalaws.com/StatutesAct pdf/2018actpdf/BotswanaAct2018/CUSTOMS%20ACT%20(ACT%2
033,%202018).pdf . 
102 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016, Section  3.3.5.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  artist resale rights; (iii)  add a new section on expressions of folklore; (iv)  add a new section 
providing for liability of Internet s ervice providers; and (v)  add a new section providing for 
application of voluntary registration.  
3.91.  The Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act is administered by CIPA. The Copyright Society of 
Botswana (COSBOTS), inter alia, grants licences with the agreement of copyright owners for (i)  the 
adaptation of works, performances, and sound recordings; and (ii)  the use of works for publicity 
purposes. Since March  2022, it has also collected reprography tariffs for works performed by literary 
and visual artists. COSBO TS sets royalty rates, which since 2018 have been subject to the approval 
of CIPA. It is responsible for collecting royalties from users of protected works and distributing them 
to copyright owners. Distribution of royalties by COSBOTS has been challenging . As a result, CIPA 
and COSBOTS signed guidelines in March  2016 to regulate the redistribution of benefits and to 
ensure those benefits reach the artists to whom they are due.  
3.92.  Botswana continues to apply a copyright levy on blank sound and audio -visual car riers, 
compact discs, and equipment that can be used to copy protected materials. The rates are set out 
in the Fourth Schedule to the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Regulations. The levies are either  
1% or 2%, depending on the device. In 2022, the levie s were extended to new items, namely 
cell phones; multi -function machines; facsimiles, iPads; MP4  players; photographic cameras; 
television cameras; televisions; cinematographic cameras; cinematographic projectors; laptops; 
tablets; video recording or repr oducing apparatus; sound recording or reproducing apparatus; 
memory cards or smart cards; external hard drives; television decoders or set top boxes; drones; 
and CCTV cameras. For all other items , the existing rates remain unchanged, except for 
photocopier s, where the levy was reduced from 2% to 1%.103 
3.93.  As indicated in the previous Review, all sound and audio -visual recordings made available to 
the public for commercial purposes must have a security device or hologram affixed to them; this 
may be purchased by  accredited owners of the work or accredited importers, which requires an 
authorization from the copyright owner to import their works into Botswana. Accreditation costs 
BWP 40 and the security device costs BWP  0.30.104 
3.94.  According to a 2016 study by CIPA on the contribution of copyright to the economy105, the 
copyright industries contributed about 5.5% to value added, 2.7% to the labour force, 1.3% to  
exports , and 3.5% to imports. The study revealed that while copyright industries contribute 
significantly t o value added, there are factors that inhibit growth, including shortcomings in the 
institutional framework (namely the Media Practitioners  Act, the Sedition Act , and the 
Cinematograph  Act) and weak associations. The report recommends revisions to laws, th e 
development of a national anti -piracy strategy, increased support to industry associations, the 
formation of a national arts council to oversee sector development, and establishment of the 
Copyright Arbitration Panel as a matter of urgency. The National Arts Council of Botswana and the 
Copyright Arbitration Panel have both been established, and the arbitration rules have been 
developed and are pending approval. The Panel has been sitting for meetings.  
3.3.7.3.2   Industrial property  
3.95.  The legal framework for industrial  property comprises the Industrial Property Act (Act No.  8 
of 2010) and the Industrial Property Regulations, 2012. The Act provides protection for patents, 
trademarks, industrial designs and utility models, layout designs of integrated circuits, geographic al 
indications, and traditional knowledge and handicrafts. It also provides for protection of industrial 
property against unfair competition. The main provisions of the law are described in detail in 
Botswana's previous Review.106 A review of the Industrial  Property Act is ongoing; major issues 
include strengthening public health flexibilities, reinstating of patent rights, and establishing a 
Tribunal to address disputes.  
3.96.  Exhaustion of rights is provided for in the Industrial Property Act for patents (Sectio n 25(1)), 
industrial designs (Section  54(5)), and trademarks (Section  82(1)). Compulsory licensing provisions 
 
103 Government Gazette , Vol. LX , No. 43, 22  April 2022.  
104 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016.  
105 CIPA (2019), The Economic Contribution of Copyright Industries in Botswana . Viewed  at: 
https://www.cipa.co.bw/wp -content/plugins/download -attachments/includes/download.php?id=2843 . 
106 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016, Section  3.3.5.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  are also contained in the Act in the following sections: Section  31 for compulsory licences in the 
public interest or for competition; Section  32 for the importation of patented products by the 
Government or third parties; and Section  33 for compulsory licences for the failure to exploit a 
patent. Botswana has not issued any compulsory licences.  
3.97.  Applications for industrial property protection are co ntained in Table  3.5. The most frequent 
applications for IP protection have been for trademarks, largely by non -residents. Patent applications 
and patents granted have been scarce. One application for GI protection was received in 2014; there  
have been no recent applications.  
Table  3.5 Trademarks, industrial designs, and patents, 201 4-21 
 2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  
Trademark applications  
Resident  359 418 519 464 606 603 663 .. 
Non-resident  1,465  1,545  1,440  1,466  1,382  1,327  1,229  .. 
Total 1,824  1,963  1,959  1,930  1,988  1,930  1,892  1,879  
Industrial design applications  
Resident  12 .. 19 15 27 16 0 18 
Non-resident  33 .. 64 62 44 57 0 38 
Total 45 46 83 77 71 73 0 56 
Patent applications  
Resident  4 3 1 3 0 2 2 3 
Non-resident  5 5 6 4 3 0 2 0 
Patents granted     
Resident  0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Non-resident  0 3 3 4 0 0 0 0 
Total 0 4 3 4 0 0 0 0 
.. Not available.  
Source:  WIPO IP Statistics Data Center. Viewed  at: https://www3.wipo.int/ipstats/keyindex.htm . 
3.3.7.3.3   Enforcement  
3.98.  There have been no changes to the enforcement, remedial, and pena lty provisions contained 
in the Copyrights Act and the Industrial Property Act.  
3.99.  Over the period April  2016 to February  2022, CIPA conducted several raids and spot checks 
on establishments related to IP enforcement of sound audio -visual works. These resulte d in the 
confiscation of 25,084  pirated works valued at BWP  2,064,000. Additionally, 21  arrests were made.  
3.100.   Since 2014, all IP enforcement activities under the Industrial Property Act have been related 
to trademarks. There was 1  infringement case, 3  applica tions for invalidation or removal of a 
trademark, and 10 trademark oppositions.  
3.101.   In the context of this Review, the authorities indicate that data are not gathered on customs 
seizures of IP -infringing goods.  
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  4  TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR  
4.1  Agriculture  
4.1.1   Overview  
4.1.  Botswana's agricultural, forestry, and fishing sectors contributed about 1.9% to gross value 
added in 2022. Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing accounted for 9.5% of total employment in the 
same year .107 The sector comprises the crop and livestock subsectors under communal (traditional) 
and commercial farming systems. Livestock dominates, mainly cattle and to a lesser extent goats, 
while arable farming is primarily for subsistence.108 As indicated by the authorities, the average farm 
size is 16 ha for rain fed crops and 4  ha for horticulture. Most recent data on agricultural production 
are from 2019.109 
4.2.  Over the review period, the agriculture sector did not perform optimally due to recurring 
droughts that have impacted cereal production, loss of livestock due to straying and theft, and pests 
and diseases, including foot and mouth disease. Other challenges include limited R&D, insufficient  
infrastructure, underutilized land, market access limitations, and low productivity levels.110 Botswana 
is a net importer of agricultural products (Table  4.1). 
Table  4.1 Trade balance in agricultural products, 2014 -21 
(USD  million unless otherwise indicated)  
 2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  
Trade balance  -534,809  -550,647  -544,917  -559,450  -645,327  -733,268  -734,486  -831,705  
Exports  171,375  148,587  127,731  106,522  121,027  96,505  86,051  132,443  
% total exports  2.0 2.3 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.8 2.0 1.8 
Imports  706,184  699,235  672,648  665,972  766,355  829,773  820,537  964,149  
% total imports 7.7 8.7 11 12.5 12.1 12.6 12.6 11.4 
Note:  WTO definition of agriculture: HS  Chapters  01-24 less fish and fishery products.  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade data.  
4.3.  In 2021, agriculture accounted for 1.8% of total exports. Over the review period there was a 
dramatic shift in the main products exported and export destinations. This was largely due to 
permission being granted in September  2019 to allow export of live animals, to  mitigate the impact 
of operational difficulties at the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) (Section  4.1.2). In  2014, frozen, 
fresh, and chilled beef (HS  0202 and HS  0201) accounted for 67.2% of the value of agricultural 
exports, with the main export destinatio ns being South  Africa, the United  Kingdom, the Netherlands, 
Italy, and Greece. This dropped to 10.6% by  2021, mainly accounted for by a large decrease in 
exports to Europe. On the other hand, exports of live cattle increased from 1.7% of agricultural 
expor ts in 2014 to 60.4% in  2021 (Chart  4.1). In  2020, just over 96% of Botswana's exports of live 
cattle were exported to South  Africa, with the remaining share going to Namibia. Botswana's exports 
of certain agricultural products, such as vegetables and bran,  increased slightly over the review 
period, with exports going to South  Africa (Chart  4.1). 
4.4.  In response to tightening global traceability rules, Botswana replaced the Livestock 
Identification and Traceability System (LITS) with a digital ear -tagging system , the Botswana 
Agricultural Information and Traceability System (BAITS), in  2014. It is a legal requirement that all 
cattle should be tagged within three  months of birth and linked to the registered keeper on BAITS.  
4.5.  Botswana imports a range of agricultural  products, mainly from South  Africa, which accounted  
for 91.6% of Botswana's imports of agricultural products in 2020. The main products imported (in 
value terms) are maize and sugar. Notable trends over the review period included an increase in the 
import s of waters, as well as beer made from malt (Chart  4.1). 
 
107 Bank of Botswana (2022), Annual Report.  Table 1.2A. Viewed at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.b w/sites/default/files/publications/Annual%20Report%202022.pdf . 
108 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016. 
109 Statistics Botswana  (2020),  Annual Agricultural Survey Report 2019 . Viewed  at: 
https://www.statsbots.org.bw/sites/default/files/publications/ANNUAL%20AGRICULTURAL%20SURVEY%20REP
ORT%202019 %20TRADITIONAL%20SECTOR.pdf . 
110 National Development Plan  11 (NDP 11). Viewed  at: https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/bot175398.pdf . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Chart  4.1 Main traded agricultural products, 2014 -21 
(USD  million)  
 
Note:  Beer made from malt (HS  2203); bran, sharps and other residues (HS 2302); can e or beet sugar 
(HS 1701); dried leguminous vegetables (HS  0713); fruit juices and vegetable juices (HS  2009); 
leguminous vegetables, fresh or chilled (HS  0708); live bovine animals (HS  0102); maize (corn) 
(HS 1005); meat of bovine animals (HS  0201, 0202); milk and cream (HS  0401); rice (HS  1006); 
sauces and preparations therefor (HS  2103); sunflower  seed, safflower or cotton -seed oil 
(HS 1512); waters (HS  2202); and wheat and meslin (HS  1001).  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
4.1.2   Institutional and policy framework  
4.6.  The Ministry of Agriculture  (MOA) (formerly the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food 
Security) has overall responsibility for the sector. Its focus is on agricultural production. It has a 
manda te to enhance food security and agricultural development through, inter alia, product 
diversification, value addition, promotion of local products for local consumption, and establishing 
agriculturally based poverty eradication projects.111 
4.7.  The BMC, a paras tatal operating under the Ministry of Entrepreneurship, is responsible for 
buying and slaughtering cattle, processing cattle products (both meat and hides), and selling these 
products. The BMC Act (Part  IV) stipulates that no persons other than the BMC can  export cattle or 
cattle products unless they have obtained a permit from the Minister. The Act specifies that the 
Minister must issue such a permit with the concurrence of the BMC, except under exceptional 
circumstances when it is in the public interest.112 According to the authorities, such permits have 
been issued a few times and extended for long periods. A similar instrument (waiver) was issued 
in 2019 (Section 4.1.1), allowing the export of live cattle for slaughter purposes; this has been 
renewed seve ral times and is currently in operation until 31  December  2023. As indicated by the 
authorities, as of June  2023, 440,638  cattle had been exported to South  Africa, Namibia, and the 
Democratic  Republic  of the Congo using this instrument.  Export taxes apply (Section 3.2.2).  
4.8.  In 2019, the Botswana Meat Commission (Transition Act) was enacted113, and structures are 
being set up to operationalize it. The Act provides for registration of the BMC as a public company,  
the establishment of a new regulatory authority f or the meat industry, and opening up of the meat 
 
111 Government of Botswana. Viewed  at: https://www.gov.bw/ministries/ministry -agricultural -
development -and-food-security . 
112 Botswana Meat Commission Act. Viewed  at: https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/bot6480.pdf . 
113 Botswana Meat Commission (Transition) Act (Act No.  20 of 2019). Viewed  at: 
https://www.botswanalaws.com/Botswana2019Pdf/20of2019.pdf . 
WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  export market to competition. Official data were not available on the financial situation of the BMC, 
or on the extent of capital injections by the Government.  
4.9.  The Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB ), another parastatal operating under the 
Ministry, continues to provide a market for locally grown grains (oilseeds, sorghum, maize, and 
millet) and pulses/beans. It has a role in providing farmers with a market of last resort, as well as 
in providing mar ket information to farmers ahead of planting to help them plan production.114 The 
mandate of the BAMB was broadened in  2016 when it took over all Livestock Advisory 
Centres  (LACs), which were previously managed by the Department of Veterinary Services. 
LACs sold livestock inputs such as animal drugs, medicines, dips, vaccines, livestock husbandry 
equipment, and poultry and livestock feeds. The authorities indicate that the MOA assesses 
Botswana's food security situation on an annual basis and may recommend p romoting the production 
of certain products. The Government will then instruct the BAMB to purchase these products at a 
certain price, with the Government subsidizing the difference.  
4.10.  The BAMB may also import, export, transport, store, process, and sell any  "scheduled 
produce" (maize, sorghum, and pulses). Import and export of these products are not restricted to 
the BAMB. Transport costs incurred by the BAMB are subsidized because of operating in remote 
areas, as notified by Botswana.  
4.11.  The BAMB has been mand ated by the Government to manage Botswana's Strategic Grain 
Reserve, which comprises 30,000  metric tonnes (MT) of maize, 30,000  MT of sorghum, and 
10,000  MT of beans. It is designed to sustain Botswana's requirements for six months. Stored 
products are sol d at market prices and replenished. Plans are under way to restructure the BAMB 
(Section  3.3.5.2).  
4.12.  Agricultural policy is elaborated in both general and sector -specific strategies. Under 
Vision  2036 (Section  2), the main agriculture -related objective is to  have a sustainable, 
technology -driven, commercially viable, disease -free agricultural sector that optimizes land and 
other resources. Under the National Development Plan  10 and within the framework of the Private 
Sector Development Project, value chain st udies were undertaken for seven agricultural value chains 
(beef, horticulture, dairy, piggery, goat, poultry, and leather) and opportunities highlighted in these 
studies are at different levels of implementation under the responsibility of the Ministry of 
Entrepreneurship. In the context of the National Development Plan  11 (2017 -2023) (NDP  11), the 
Government aims to improve food security and nutrition through improving access to productive 
resources (land, finance, inputs, infrastructure, and information) as well as to promote the practice 
of cluster farming and agro -ecological zones.115 Botswana also seeks to develop value chains, 
inter alia, in meat and meat products and fruits and vegetables as part of the SACU Strategic Plan.116 
Botswana also continues to  implement the 1991 National Policy on Agricultural Development, which 
aims to improve food security at the household and national levels, conserve agricultural and land 
resources for the future, diversify the sector, and mainstream disadvantaged groups in to the  
sector.117 A review of this policy is ongoing. An Agro -Processing Strategy is being developed; the 
final report is expected by September  2023. 
4.1.2.1   Border measures  
4.13.  As a SACU  member, Botswana applies the Union's CET. Tariff protection to agriculture, 
hunting, forestry, and fishing (ISIC classification) averaged 3.7% in 2023, with tariff s ranging from 
zero to 44%. According to the WTO definition of agricultural products, the simple average applied 
tariff was 10.1%, with tariffs ranging from zero to 95% (Main  Report, Section  3, Table  A3.1). Tariff 
lines on agricultural products (WTO definit ion) attracting rates of more than 50% include poultry, 
 
114 Market information typically includes market opportunities in the grain industry (crops that the 
market demands and price projections).  
115 NDP 11. Viewed  at: https://faol ex.fao.org/docs/pdf/bot175398.pdf . 
116 Ministry of Finance, 2023 Budget Speech. Viewed  at: 
https://www.finance.gov.bw/images/speeches/Minister/2023BudgetSpeechDocs/2023_Budget_Speech_06_Feb
ruary_2023.pdf . 
117 An overview of the Policy's objectives is contained in Botswana's previous Review  (WTO document 
WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016). WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  certain cheeses, and pineapple (Main  Report, Section  3, Table  3.3). Several agricultural products 
are subject to non -ad valorem  duties (Main  Report, Section  3, Table  3.1). 
4.14.  Botswana administers tariff quotas for agricultural products within the framework of its RTAs  
(Main Report , Section 3.3.3 ) and under the SACU rebate facilities . With respect to the latter, t he 
2002 SACU  Agreement stipulates that all members need to apply the same rebates, refunds, or  
drawbacks of customs duties on imported goods (Main  Report, Section  3). However, a rebate facility 
is in place for those SACU  members that do not produce the products that are produced in the region 
and subject to high CET  rates. For Botswana, rebates wer e created for wheat (HS  1001) (excluding 
durum wheat) and dairy products (HS  04); according the authorities, wheat is the most commonly 
used. The rebate system works in a similar way to a tariff quota with quantitative limits. A rebate 
can only be used if it is allowed by the agricultural authorities of the four  BLNS countries (Botswana, 
Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia). Importation of products subject to a rebate is open to applicants 
on a first -come, first served basis. Imports of these products cannot be re-exported to other 
SACU  members.  
4.15.  Botswana has used SACU provisions allowing for temporary protection of infant industries to 
levy an additional duty of 40% on imports of UHT milk; this was introduced in  2008 for a period of 
eight years, which elapsed in  2016. Botswana requested a further extension that was approved 
in 2016 and will elapse in  2024. The purpose of the extension is to complete the measures being 
undertaken to address the gaps identified in the dairy value chain in Botswana.  
4.16.  To protect and en courage domestic production and food self -sufficiency, the Government 
imposed import restrictions on 16  vegetable products effective 1  January  2022. The ban applies to 
imports from all sources and to the following products: tomatoes, carrots, beetroots, po tatoes, 
cabbage, lettuce, garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, chili peppers, butternuts, watermelon, sweet 
peppers, green corn, and fresh herbs. The restrictions were imposed under the provisions of the 
Control of Goods, Prices, and Other Charges Act and wil l be reviewed in two years to assess their 
effectiveness and relevance.  
4.17.  Imports of several agricultural products require a permit (unless imported in small quantities 
for personal consumption, e.g.  10 kg to 24  kg).118 The legal bases for this requirement ar e the 
Control of Goods, Prices and Other Charges Act  and the Control of Goods (Import and Export of 
Agricultural Products) Regulations (First and Second Schedule s).119 Permits are required to promote 
local production of staple food products; hence the produ cts subject to import permits vary according 
to the circumstances. Permits are not granted when domestic supply is deemed sufficient, to ensure 
that local farmers can sell their produce. They are granted only when there are shortages in the 
domestic market .120 Import permits for some of these products which, according to the authorities, 
are important for food security (e.g.  grains, such as maize, maize meal, sorghum grains, and 
sorghum meal) are only issued upon proof of local purchases (through the present ation of valid 
invoices/other legal document that prove their purchases of local products).121 
4.18.  Botswana's wheat flour levy was discontinued in November  2021 (Section  3.1.1).  
4.19.  Various agricultural products and farming inputs and implements are VAT zero-rated 
(Section  3.1.1).  
 
118 The First Schedule of the Regulations sets out p roducts subject to import permit requirements: 
animal feed for poultry and livestock, bananas, beetroot, butternuts, cabbage, carrots, fresh milk, green 
pepper, maize, maize products, mangos, onions, oranges, potatoes, pulses, pumpkin, sorghum, sorghum 
products, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon , and wheat.  The Second Schedule lists the same products 
(apart from animal feed for poultry and livestock), with a sp ecified weight per person. No permit is required for 
imports of these products if the weight does not go beyond the specified weight.  
119 Control of Goods, Prices and Other Charges Act. Viewed  at: 
https://www.gov.bw/sites/default/files/2020 -
03/CONTROL%20OF%20GOODS%20%2C%20PRICES%20AND%20OTHER%20CHARGES%20ACT.pdf . 
Subsidiary legislation to the Act  was viewed at: https://www.botswanalaws.com/consolidated -
statutes/subsidiary -legislation/control -of-goods-prices -and-other -charges -subsidiary -legislation . 
120 Control of Goods, Prices and Other Charges (Restriction on the Importation of Bread Loaves and Pie 
Pastries) Regulations under Section  3 (14  October  2003). 
121 In the case of maize grain , 30% needs to be purchased locally, 70% in the case of maize meal, 
50% for sorghum grain , and 70% for sorghum meal.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  4.1.2.2   Domestic support  
4.20.  According to the WTO notifications by Botswana, domestic support fluctuated over the review 
period. The bulk of support was provided to the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture 
Development (ISPAAD) scheme , which provides support in the following areas: cluster fencing, 
provision of potable water, seeds and fertilizers, facilitation of access to credit , and the establishment 
of agricultural service centres.122 The other main suppor t programme is the Livestock Management 
and Infrastructure Development II (LIMID) Programme , which provides subsidies for dipping 
facilities, handling facilities, water sources, and other farming inputs for low -income farmers 
(Table  4.2). Other special and  differential treatment programmes include an artificial insemination 
subsidy and a transportation support services subsidy. The ISPAAD was recently restructured to help 
farmers of arable  land. It is due to be terminated in FY2023/24 and replaced by a new programme 
called Temo -Letlotlo, which is focused on promoting national self -sufficiency in food production.  
Table  4.2 Domestic support as notified by Botswana, FY2014/15 -FY2020/21  
(BWP  million)  
 2014/15  2015/1 6 2016/17  2017/18  2018/19  2019/20  2020/21  
Total domestic support  710 620 384 912 599 657 761 
Green Box 87 49 32 57 31 35 22 
Special and differential 
treatment 
programmes, of which:  623 571 352 855 568 622 739 
 ISPAAD  555 467 332 750 490 535 613 
 LIMID  63 99 16 82 74 82 126 
Source:  WTO documents G/AG/N/BWA/23 , 5 January  2016; G/AG/N/BWA/27 , 28 February  2017; 
G/AG/N/BWA/31 , 14 November  2017; G/AG/N/BWA/34 , 9 January  2019; G/AG/N/BWA/35 , 
25 July 2022; G/AG/N/BWA/36 , 13 October  2022; and G/AG/N/BWA/37 , 13 October  2022. 
4.21.  In 2022, Botswana introduced a subsidy scheme, the Horticulture Impact Accelerator Subsidy, 
for vegetable farmers to help them mitigate the impact of bad weather, increase production, and 
develop best practices. The Govern ment set aside an initial amount of BWP  50 million for the 
programme. The subsidy provides for a loan at favourable terms or a 50% grant, requiring that the 
applicant should contribute the other 50%. The subsidy provides for inputs including shade houses, 
tunnels, pack houses, irrigation, and borehole equipment and implements.123 
4.22.  Support to domestic agriculture producers is also provided through the Economic 
Diversification Drive, which obliges the Central Government, local authorities, and parastatals to 
purchase locally produced goods and services (Section  3.3.6).  
4.1.2.3   Export measures  
4.23.  Exports of various agricultural products require permits under the Control of Goods (Import 
and Export of Agricultural Products) Regulations (Schedules  2 and 3)  (Table 3.2) .  
4.24.  Botswana made notifications that it granted no export subsidies to agricultural products from 
FY2015/16 to FY2017/18.124 The authorities indicate that no such subsidies have been provided 
since Botswana's last notification, and that WTO notif ications are being updated to reflect this and 
are expected to be up to date by end -2023.  
4.2  Mining and energy  
4.2.1   Mining  
4.25.  Mining continues to play a central role in Botswana's economy, although its contribution to 
gross value added declined over most the review p eriod, dropping from 24.1%  in 2014  to 9.6% at 
the height of the COVID -19 pandemic in 2020. It has since picked up, accounting for 21.4% of gross 
 
122 National Development Bank  (NDB). Viewed  at: https://www.ndb.bw/ispaad . 
123 NDB, IAS. Viewed  at: https://www.ndb.bw/ias . 
124 WTO documents G/AG/N/BWA/26 , 28 February  2017; G/AG/N/BWA/29 , 10 November  2017; 
G/SCM/N/284/BWA -G/SCM/N/315/BWA , 26 March  2018; and G/AG/N/BWA/32 , 20 June 2018. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  value added  in 2022 (Table 1.1) . Mining absorbed 1.8% of the labour force in 2022.125 Diamond 
mining is the main  activity and accounted for 97.5% of Botswana's total mining exports in 2021 
(Table  4.3). Most minerals extracted are exported , and the mining sector contributes to  the majority 
of Botswana's export earnings (Section  1). 
Table  4.3 Principal indicators for mining, 2014 -22 
 2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Contribution to GDP (%, at current 
basic prices)  24.1 19.1 23.7 19.6 16.8 14.3 9.6 16.6 21.4 
Contribution to GDP (%, at 2006 
constant basic prices)  28.4 25.4 23.7 24.3 25.2 23.5 19.0 22.1 22.4 
Growth rate at 2006 prices (%)  6.0 -15.3 0.3 6.3 8.4 -3.7 -26.5 29.8 7.5 
Paid employees in mining (% of total 
paid employees)   3.2 3.3 3.1 2.0 2.0 2.2 1.7 2.4 … 
Exports (including re -exports)  
Mining (US D billion ) 7.8 5.6 6.7 5.4 6.0 4.8 3.8 6.9 … 
Top 5 exports by HS 4 -digit (% of total mining)  
7102 Diamonds  92.9 92.5 95.6 98.9 98.5 98.8 97.4 97.5 … 
710231 Non -industrial: unworked  81.8 83.9 89.1 86.8 84.0 81.1 82.9 84.8 … 
710239 Non -industrial: other  10.5 7.8 5.9 9.9 14.2 17.5 14.3 12.3 … 
7501 Nickel mattes  4.5 5.6 3.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 … 
2603 Copper ores and concentrates  1.7 0.9 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.7 1.6 … 
7108 Gold  0.6 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8 1.3 0.5 … 
2501 Salt  0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.7 0.4 0.6 0.4 … 
Top 5 mining exports (% of total 
exports)  92.0 89.7 92.2 91.6 91.3 91.5 90.5 92.5 … 
Source:  Statistics Botswana, Statistical Publications ; Bank of Botswana, Publications ; and UN Comtrade 
database.  
4.26.  As indicated in the previous Review, mineral rights are vested in the State. The Ministry of 
Minerals and Energy (formerly the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy 
Security) is responsible for the sector. Departments within the Minist ry with mining -related 
responsibilities are (i)  the Department of Mines , which is responsible for licensing and monitoring of 
mining operations ; and for ensuring compliance with environmental, health , and safety standards 
and the related Acts and Regulations; (ii)  the Mineral Affairs Division , which is responsible for the 
formulation, implementation , and monitoring of policies for the mining and minerals sectors ; 
gathering market intelligence ; and prom oting investment in minerals; and (iii)  the Diamond Hub , 
which is responsible for downstream development of diamonds (Section  4.3). The Minerals 
Development Company Botswana (Pty) Ltd  (MDCB), a parastatal mining investment holding 
company, was established in 2015 to hold and develop all of Botswana's current and future mining 
interests. Its purpose is to optimize returns to the G overnment from its equity stakes in the mining 
industry, in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. It also seeks out n ew investment 
opportunities within and beyond Botswana.  
4.27.  The Government continues to own 50% of the shares in the Debswana Diamond Company 
Pty Ltd, with the other 50% held by De  Beers. It is the largest diamond mining company in Botswana, 
operating four min es and accounting for 98% of Botswana's diamond production, 70% of exports, 
and 30% of tax revenues. Debswana's mining licences are valid until 2029. The Government is 
seeking to renegotiate or renew the 2011 sales and marketing agreement that currently en titles 
De Beers to 75% of the production from Debswana.  
4.28.  The Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) is a state -owned diamond trading company that 
markets up to 25% of the Debswana mines' run -of-mine production to facilitate secondary rough 
trading (Section  3.3.5.2) . The Diamond Trading Centre Botswana, another 50:50 joint venture 
between De  Beers and the Government undertakes sorting and valuation of diamonds. In  2023, the 
Government took a 24% stake in HB Antwerp, a Belgian diamond processing firm founded in  2020, 
as it seeks to gain more value from its diamonds. The ODC has signed a five -year agreement to 
supply rough diamonds to HB Antwerp as part of this deal.126 
 
125 Bank of Botswana (2022), Annual Repor t. Table 1.2A. Viewed at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/sites/default/files/publications/Annual%20Report%202022.pdf . 
126 Reuters  (2023), " Botswana Partners Gem Trader HB Antwerp, Seeks to Loosen De Beers' Grip", 
27 March . Viewed  at: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/botswana -partners -gem-trader -hb-
antwerp -seeks -loosen -de-beers -grip-2023-03-27/. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  4.29.  Since 2014, state -owned BCL Ltd was shut down and Tati Nickel Mining Company (Pty) Ltd, 
in which the G overnment had a 15% share, was liquidated.  
4.30.  The Mines and Minerals Act, 1999 continues to regulate mining and ancillary activities, 
including licensing for mineral prospecting and mining operations. As indicated in the 2023 Budget 
Speech, the Government is reviewing this law with a view to making Botswana a conducive 
environment for mining, ensuring proper management of resources, and including provisions for 
local beneficiation of minerals and meeting local needs for mining products.127 Other laws relevant 
to the sector are the Diamond Cutting Act,  1979 and the Semi -Precious Stones Act,  1969. The 
Diamond Cutting Act Amendment Bill and the Precious and Semi -Precious Stones (Protection) 
Amendment Bill were passed by Parliament in August  2021. They aim to  modern ize the minerals 
legislation and to align it with policy aspirations on issues relating to  ease of doing business, 
occupational health, safety, environment, and anti -money laundering and financing of terrorism 
issues.  
4.31.  A Minerals Policy was adopted in Febr uary 2022128, which aims to (i)  foster a competitive 
environment for investment in mining and beneficiation projects; (ii)  ensure security of tenure and 
harmonization of the laws associated with minerals development (i.e.  taxation, land, protected 
areas, an d infrastructure); (iii)  maintain a transparent fiscal regime for mining operations; 
(iv) ensure protection of the environment (based on the Environmental Management System) and 
public safety; (v)  contribute to sustainable economic growth and livelihoods t hrough value addition 
activities along the value chain and effective participation by citizens (i.e. as investors, suppliers, 
and service providers) and locally based companies; (vi)  ensure sustainable development of mineral 
resources through monitoring of  Natural Capital Accounting; and (vii)  strengthen anti -corruption 
practices (i.e.  Ministerial Anti -Corruption Policies). According to the authorities, the policy has been 
harmonized with regional mineral policies such as the SADC Protocol on Mining and the  Africa Mining 
Vision  2050.  
4.32.  Botswana provides for the following mineral concessions: prospecting licences, retention 
licences, mining licences, and minerals permits for small -scale mining operations. The terms of any 
new application, renewal, transfer, or amendment of a mining licence for diamonds must be 
negotiated on the technical, financial, and commercial aspects of the proposed project, including 
government participation.129 Botswana launched its m ining cadastre ( the National Integrated 
Geoscience Infor mation System (NIGIS) which is housed in the Botswana  National Geoscience 
Institute ) in October  2022. It replaced the Samrad system for applying for mining and prospecting 
rights.130 It became operational in November  2022. As of mid -2023, there were two  diamond and 
eight other companies operating in the mining sector.  
4.33.  Royalties on mining products have not changed since the previous Review. Royalties for 
diamonds are 10%  of gross market value, 5%  for precious metals (e.g.  gold and platinum), and 
3% for all ot hers minerals. Mining companies are taxed using a variable income tax rate based on a 
formula, with a minimum rate of 22% equivalent to the standard corporate  income tax  rate. Deferral 
of royalty payments may be granted in certain instances to assist strug gling companies. The tax 
regime for diamond projects may also be negotiated on a case -by-case basis. In terms of the use of 
mining sector revenues, Botswana has employed a long -standing fiscal rule that recognizes that 
these revenues are based on a non -renewable resource and requires that mineral revenues be 
invested in physical assets, human capital, and financial assets, and not to be used for recurrent 
government spending. Mineral taxes, royalties and dividends remain an important source of 
Government re venue, accounting for between 21.5% to 44.2% of total government revenues over 
the review period (Table  4.4). 
 
127 Ministry of Finance, Budget Speech 2023. Viewed  at: 
https://www.finance.gov.bw/images/speeches/2023BudgetSpeech.pdf . 
128 Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Botswana Minerals Policy 
2022.  Viewed  at: https://bgi.org.bw/sites/default/files/Botswana%2 0Minerals%20Policy%202022.pdf . 
129 For further details , see WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016, Table  4.4. 
130 Botswana Mining Cadastre Portal. Viewed  at: https://portal.miningcadastre.gov.bw/page/landing . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Table  4.4 Government revenues from the diamond industry, 2015/16 -2021/22  
(BWP  million and fiscal year)  
Source of revenue  2015/16  2016/17  2017/18  2018/19  2019/20  2020/21  2021/22  
Mineral tax 5,263  7,213  5,578  6,056  4,544  3,315  7,868  
% of total mineral 
revenue  36.5 32.1 29.9 32.8 31.2 34.6 33.8 
Mineral royalties and 
dividends 9,175  15,283  13,108  12,412  10,011  6,258  15,376  
% of total mineral 
revenue  63.5 67.9 70.1 67.2 68.8 65.4 66.2 
Total mineral revenue 14,438  22,496  18,686  18,468  14,555  9,573  23,244  
% of total fiscal revenue  32.2 44.2 35.3 36.2 30.3 21.5 37.7 
Total fiscal revenue 
(tax) 44,859  50,847  52,992   51,057   47,967  44,434  61,591  
Note:  "Total mineral revenue" less "Mineral tax" equals "Mineral royalties and dividends".  
Source:  Statistics Botswana, Statistical Publications ; and Ministry of Finance.  
4.34.  Botswana has over 210  billion  tonnes of untapped coal reserves. As of November  2022, 
Botsw ana was producing about 2.9  million  tonnes of coal per annum.131 
4.2.2   Energy  
4.35.  The Ministry of Minerals and Energy is responsible for formulating and implementing national 
energy policies. The Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA), which started operations 
in 2017, is responsible for providing the regulatory framework for electricity, gas, coal, petroleum 
products, and all forms of renewable energy.132 
4.36.  In 2021, the Ministry released its National Energy Policy (NEP) in which it sets out its 
objectiv es to create a secure and reliable energy system with capacity to supply energy to all the 
sectors of the economy and to significantly reduce energy -related atmospheric emissions by  2040. 
The policy seeks to ensure that energy is accessible to all, especia lly the low -income members of 
the community. The NEP facilitates the diversification of the national energy mix (i.e. electricity, oil 
and gas, biofuels, solar, and coal), and modernization and expansion of energy infrastructure by 
promoting renewable ener gy sources, especially solar and clean coal technologies. The policy aims 
to improve regional and international cooperation in energy trade (i.e.  via the Southern African 
Power Pool (SAPP)) and overall development of the sector. It is aligned with the SADC  Energy 
Protocol.133 
4.37.  Botswana continues to rely largely on coal and hydrocarbons to meet its energy needs 
(Chart  4.2). The contribution of renewable energy to the electricity mix is minimal. No official 
information was available on whether the Government pr ovides energy -related subsidies.  
 
131 Botswana Mineral Investment booklet. Not available online.  
132 BERA. Viewed  at: https://www.bera.co.bw/ . 
133 BERA (2021) National Energy Policy . Viewed  at: 
https://www.bera.co.bw/downloads/National%20Energy%20Policy%20Final%20April%202021.pdf . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Chart  4.2 Total energy supply (TES) by source, 2000 -20 
(Unit: 1,000  TJ) 
 
Source:  International Energy Agency , Botswana . Viewed  at: https://www.iea.org/countries/botswana . 
4.2.2.1   Electricity  
4.38.  Regulation of the electricity sector is governed by the Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority 
Act (Act No.  13 of 2016)134, the Electricity Supply Act (Act No.  21 of 1973 as amended by Act No.  20 
of 2007135), and the Botswana Power Corporation Act (Chapter 74:01136). 
4.39.  Electricity demand in Botswana stood at 662  MW in  2022. Demand is expected to grow to 
1,017  MW by  2025. Botswa na Power Corporation's  (BPC) installed generating capacity is 892  MW. 
However due to overhauls/statutory outages at power station units, it currently generates about 
360 MW. Approximately 180  MW of electricity is imported from interconnected utilities in 
Mozambique and Zambia. The BPC also imports electricity from the submarkets controlled by the 
SAPP. Projects to develop Botswana's electricity infrastructure include the Zimbabwe, Zambia, 
Botswana, Namibia (ZIZABONA) Transmission Line Project, which has mad e little significant 
progress, and a planned transmission line between Botswana and South  Africa. Locally, Botswana is 
constructing the Northwest  transmission line to increase electricity access within the country and 
facilitate cross -border connectivity.  
4.40.  The BPC continues to have a de  facto monopoly on the generation of electricity and a de  jure 
monopoly on the transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity. Amendments to the Electricity 
Supply Act in  2007 permitted independent power producers (IPPs) and suppliers to enter the market. 
As of May  2023, there was still no private sector participation. Nevertheless four  Power Purchase 
Agreements have been approved: three  4 MW Photovoltaic (PV) Power Plants (one  each in Lobatse, 
Ghanzi, Maun), and one  50 MW in Selibe -Phikwe. In addition, three  IPPs have been issued licences 
to generate 3  MW PV in Bobonong, 1  MW PV in Shakawe, and 10  MW Coalbed Methane in 
SandVeld.137 The Ministry of Minerals and Energy together with PEEPA have commenced a study to 
unbundle th e BPC  (Table 3.4) . 
 
134 Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority Act, 2016. Viewed  at: 
https://www.bera.co.bw/downloads/BERA_ACT_13_of_2016.pdf . 
135 Electricity Supply (Amendment) Act , 2007. Viewed  at: 
https://www.botswanalaws.com/Sta tutesActpdf/2007ACTpdf/ELECTRICITY%20SUPPLY%20(AMENDMENT)%20
ACT,%2020%20OF%202007.pdf . 
136 Botswana Power Corporation Act. Viewed  at: https:/ /www.bpc.bw/about -us/PublishingImages/bpc -
act/BPC%20Act.pdf . 
137 To generate electricity, the BP C concludes a power purchase agreement with the IPP (this sets out 
conditions of sale, tariff, capacity , etc.). The IPP then needs to obtain a licence from BERA. Once licen sed, the 
IPP may start construction and then undertake sales.  
020406080100120
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020Oil Biofuels and waste Wind, solar, etc. CoalChart 4. [BWA] Total energy supply (TES) by source
(Unit: 1,000 TJ)
Source: IEA, Botswana . Viewed at: https://www.iea.org/countries/botswana. WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  4.41.  Persons who install rooftop solar panels may sell to the grid without needing a generation 
licence. Feed -in tariff guidelines were released in  2020, which cover pricing and capacity; these 
guidelines are being reviewed.  
4.42.  Electricity tarif fs are set and adjusted by the Ministry of Minerals and Energy. Tariffs are  
generally adjusted annually. As at the time of the previous Review, tariffs comprise three  charges: 
a fixed charge, which is the same for all but domestic consumers; an energy charge, which varies 
according to consumers; and a demand charge , which is levied on medium and large businesses  
(Table  4.5). 
Table  4.5 Electricity tariffs, 2014 and 2021  
 Fixed charge  
(BWP/month)  Energy charge  
(BWP/kWh)  Demand chargea 
(BWP /kW/month)  
 2014  2021  2014  2021  2014  2021  
Domestic consumers  21.98  34.02  0.7167  0.9839  n.a. n.a. 
Small business  66.53  105.77  0.4579  1.1905  n.a. n.a. 
Medium business  66.53  105.77  0.2348  0.8992  56.21  252.26  
Large business  66.53  105.77  0.2117  0.8107  52.91  237.45  
Government  66.53  105.77  0.5935  2.5183  n.a. n.a. 
Water pumping  66.53  105.77  0.4669  1.816  n.a. n.a. 
n.a. Not applicable.  
Source:  WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016; and information provided by the authorities.  
4.43.  Access to electricity is low. Most of the population depend on biomass. Wood remains a major 
source of energy for rural and low -income urban communities and is mainly used for cooking, space 
heating, and lighting. However, the percentage of the population with access to electricity has 
increased from 65% in 2014 (45% in rural areas) to 68% in 2021. 
4.2.2.2   Petroleum products  
4.44.  Botswana continues to rely solely on imports of petroleum fuels. According to the authorities, 
on a yearly basis, Botswana consumes on average  around 1.3  billion  litres of liquid fuels (petrol, 
diesel, and illuminating paraffin) and 23  million  litres of aviation fuels. According to Comtrade data, 
in 2022, 82% were sourced from South  Africa, and the remainder from Mozambique and Namibia.138 
As at the time of the previous Review, fuel security is of concern, due to limited supply routes, 
inadequate domestic storage capacity, and long -distance travel to supply products throughout 
Botswana. In addition, low levels of consumption in remote rural areas render deliveries unprofitable, 
discouraging companies from distributing.  
4.45.  The importation of petroleum products is open to competition. The state -owned Limited (BOL) 
is responsible for managing the Government's strategic reserves (to ensure the consumption  
equivalent of 15  days of fuel in case of supply disruption). It supplies the wholesale market and has 
recently started to import petroleum. It does not have a retail network. Several local and indigenous 
oil companies supply, distribute, and sell petroleu m products.  
4.46.  Retail pump prices of petroleum products are determined by BERA, based on prices set in 
price-setting regions like Europe, the Arabian Gulf, and the Far East. Botswana uses the Basic Fuel 
Pricing  (BFP) methodology used by other SACU  members. This methodology is divided into three 
sections that collectively build up to the retail pump price. The first section of the pricing slate is the  
calculation of the free on board (f.o.b.) price. The second section is the calculation of the B FP, which 
includes the f.o.b. prices. The BFP is the average cost of the refined product from its source point to 
the Botswana border, including transportation costs. The last section comprises all government taxes 
and levies, industry operating and servic e costs , and industry (wholesale) and dealers (retail) profit 
margins.  
 
138 WTO Secretariat c alculations, based on UN Comtrade database. Viewed at: 
https://comtradeplus.un.org/ . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  4.3  Manufacturing  
4.47.  The manufacturing sector contributed 5.7% to gross value added in 2022 (Table 1.1), and 
7.1% of employment in the same year .139 Processed minerals and precious stones (diam onds) 
dominate Botswana's exports of manufactured products, accounting for over 90% of exports 
in 2021.  
4.48.  Botswana's Industrial Development Policy (2014) envisages, inter alia, developing and 
diversifying the manufacturing sector, by promoting (i) resource -based manufacturing (both 
agriculture -based and mineral -based manufacturing); (ii) low -technology manufacturing with a view 
to supporting SMMEs to produce low -labour skill manufactured products such as textiles, clothing, 
and footwear; (iii) medium technolo gy manufacturing involving automotive and engineering firms, 
either alone or in partnership with foreign -owned firms; and (iv) high -tech manufacturing in Special 
Economic Zones (SEZs)  in partnership with foreign firms. To achieve this, the Government inten ds 
to work together with stakeholders, inter alia, to upgrade and modernize industries and promote 
and facilitate the development of industrial clusters. Nevertheless, the policy recognizes more 
generally that industrial development and economic diversific ation have been hampered by high 
energy costs, an unreliable energy supply, inadequate telecommunications and transport 
infrastructure, inadequate or mismatched skills, nascent levels of R&D, and poor access to finance.  
4.49.  Botswana's Diamond Hub is charged wi th transforming Botswana into a competitive World 
Diamond Cent re. It is responsible for downstream development of the diamond value chain, with 
particular emphasis on rough and polished diamond trading; cutting and polishing; jewellery 
manufacturing; and s econdary trading of rough and polished diamonds. In  2022, Botswana had 
39 operation diamond cutting and polishing factories, employing 4,097  people. There is no 
significant jewellery manufacturing industry in Botswana.  
4.50.  As indicated in the Main  Report (Sect ion 3.3.1), the ISIC sector with the highest tariff 
protection is manufacturing with a simple average applied tariff rate of 8.9% in  2023. The highest 
tariffs apply to clothing (Main  Report, Section  3.3.1, Table  3.3). 
4.51.  As indicated by the authorities, there  is a new focus in the President's Reset and Reclaim  
Agenda  (Section 1.2)  on value chain development by using Botswana's significant raw material base. 
In this regard, import restrictions have been introduced to support domestic manufacturing in certain 
activities, such as bottling of water, salt and sugar packaging, baked products, maize extruded 
snacks, and school uniforms (Section  3.1.2).  
4.52.  Support to domestic manufacturing companies is provided through the Economic 
Diversification Drive, which obliges the  Central Government, local authorities, and parastatals to 
purchase locally produced goods and services (Section  3.3.6).  
4.53.  In terms of incentives, Botswana offers manufacturing companies a reduced corporate tax 
rate of 15% compared with the standard rate of 22%, subject to approval by the Ministry of Trade  
and Industry .140 New manufacturing companies may also be eligible for a corporate income tax 
holiday for a period of 5 to 10 years under the Development Approval Order, provided they meet 
the required criteria. Approval from the Permanent Secretary for Finance and Development Planning  
is required.141 The legal basis for these incentives is Section  52(4)(g)(i)  of the Income Tax Act. Other 
incentives, both fiscal and non -fiscal, are provided withi n the SEZs (Section  3.2.4).  
 
139 Bank of Botswana (2022), Annual Report.  Table 1.2A. Viewed at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/sites/default/files/publications/Annual%20Report%202022.pdf . 
140 Go Botswana. Viewed  at: https://www.gobotswan a.com/incentives -investors . 
141 Go Botswana. Viewed  at: https://www.gobotswana.com/incentives -investors . The criteria against 
which applications are evaluated relate to the extent to which the proposed project provides opportunities for 
Botswana citizens including jobs, training, equity, and participation in management positions ; the location of 
the investment ; and the project's stimulation of other economic activities and its effect on reducing local 
consumer prices.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  4.4  Services  
4.4.1   Telecommunications  
4.54.  The information and communication sectors contributed 2. 6% to gross value added in 2022 
(Table  1.1) and accounted for around 1% of employment in  the same year .142 
4.55.  The Department of Digital Communicatio ns, Infrastructure and Business (DCIB), within the 
Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC), remains responsible for developing, 
implementing, and monitoring telecom policies and infrastructure development strategies. The 
Botswana Communications Regu latory Authority (BOCRA) is in charge regulating telecom (as well 
as broadcasting and postal) services, for dealing with disputes, and investigating consumer 
complaints.143 
4.56.  State -owned enterprises operating in the telecommunications sector are Botswana 
Telecommunications Corporation Ltd (BTCL), a telecommunications and Internet service 
provider  (ISP), and Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet), a wholesale provider of telecommunications 
infrastructure, responsible for improving broadband penetration (Section  3.3.5.2). In  2016, the 
Government sold a minority stake in BTCL, retaining a  51% shareholding. The BTCL was listed on 
the Botswana Stock Exchange on 8  April 2016.  
4.57.  The main law governing the telecommunications sector is the Communications Regulatory 
Authority ( CRA) Act, 2012. There have been no amendments to this law over the review period. CRA 
Regulations were issued in  2022.144 
4.58.  Digital transformation is a central part of Botswana's new development agenda as articulated 
in the Second Transitional National Develo pment Plan (Section  2). In this regard, the main goal is 
to enable access to affordable information and telecommunications technology infrastructure. 
In 2018, a National Broadband Strategy was released, which provides for a coordinated approach to 
the impl ementation of an ICT ecosystem and the provision of quality, affordable services via 
high-speed broadband infrastructure.145 
4.59.  Over the period there has been a steady growth in mobile -cellular, fixed -broadband, and 
mobile -broadband subscriptions, as well as i n the share of individuals using the Internet. 
Fixed -telephone subscriptions have dropped significantly (Table  4.6). 
Table  4.6 Selected telecom indicators, 2015 -22 
(Number, unless otherwise indicated)  
Indicator  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Fixed -
telephone 
subscriptions  161,641  161,641  140,873  140,202  140,202  140,722  139,930  90,518  
Mobile -
cellular 
subscriptions  3,405,887  3,460,331  3,226,389  3,181,591  3,353,337  3,778,701  3,876,773  4,243,124  
Fixed -
broadband 
subscriptions  34,435  38,574  68,587  75,359  42,098  56,970  83,910  111,851  
Mobile -
broadband 
subscriptions  1,360,236  1,360,236  1,404,065  1,523,545  1,752,245  2,037,359  2,273,363  2,435,484  
 
142 Bank of Botswana (2022), Annual Report.  Table 1.2A. Viewed at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/sites/default/files/publications/Annual%20Report%202022.pdf . 
143 As indicated in the previous Review, BOCRA has signed an MOU with the Botswana Competition and 
Consumer Authority to ensure appropriate collaboration on issues that may impact both of their jurisdictions.  
144 Communicat ions Regulatory Authority Regulations , 2022. Viewed  at: 
https://www.bocra.org.bw/sites/default/files/documents/Communications_Re gulatory_Authority_Regulations_2
022_0.pdf . 
145 Ministry of Transport and Communications, National Broadband Strategy 2018 . Viewed  at: 
https://www.bocra.org.bw/sites/default/files/documents/National -Broadband -Strategy -
FINAL%28June2018%29.pdf . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Indicator  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Individuals 
using the 
Internet (%)  37.31  39.36  41.41  58.00  61.00  64.00  .. .. 
.. Not available.  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
4.60.  Telecom operators require a licence from BOCRA to operate in Botswana. A new ICT licensing 
framework was introduced in 2015. The revised framework was aimed at achieving, inter alia, 
technology neutrality, ease of market entry , and open access. The licences available under this 
sector include the Network Facilities Provider  (NFP) Licence, Services and Applications 
Provider  (SAP) Licence, and a Content Service Provider  (CSP) Licence. The NFP  Licence is issued to 
entities that own, operate, or provide any form of physical infrastructure used principally for carrying 
service and applications , as well as content. The SAP  Licence is issued to entities that are 
non-infrastructure -based service providers and provide all forms of service s and applications to end 
users using infrastructure of the NFP. A CSP  Licence is issued to entities offering content material in 
the form of speech or other sounds, text, data, and images, whether still or moving , solely for 
television broadcasting.  
4.61.  There  are three  telecoms operators in Botswana : BTCL, Orange Botswana (Pty) Ltd , and 
Mascom Wireless Botswana (Pty) Ltd. For mobile telephony services, Mascom Wireless has a market 
share of 43%, Orange Botswana has 41%, and Botswana Telecommunications Corporati on has 16%. 
For mobile -broadband, Orange Botswana is the market leader with a share of 49% , followed by 
Mascom Wireless  (44%) and BTC  (7%). There are also 115  licensed ISPs. There were not any new 
entrants, departures , or mergers and acquisitions in the te lecommunications sector over the review 
period.  
4.62.  Botswana has a 10,600  km nationwide fibre technology infrastructure that connects about 
206 of 399  localities to high -speed open access network, facilitated by the BoFiNet optic fibre rollout 
project.146 BoFiN et is a consortium member of both the West Africa Cable System  (WACS) and the 
East Africa Submarine Cable System  (EASSy), with a shareholding of 4.5% and 4% , respectively. 
The WACS links South  Africa  with the United  Kingdom  along the west coast of Africa. The EASSy 
connects countries on the east coast of Africa, from South  Africa  up to Sudan, and has been extended 
to the U nited Kingdom . BoFiNet connects to the WACS in South  Africa  and Namibia and to the EASSy 
in South  Africa . As indicated by the authorities , backbone fibre connectivity projects are ongoing to 
fill gaps identified in Botswana's National Broadband Strategy, and local access connectivity projects 
are ongoing through funding from the G overnment, the Universal Acc ess and Services Fund (see 
below), village connectivity projects , and operators laying out their own fibre.  
4.63.  As indicated in the previous Review, tariffs charged by public telecom operators are regulated 
by BOCRA, and are determined based on the cost model and pricing framework it has developed. 
In 2016, BOCRA conducted a costing model to study the existing ICT services and develop an 
appropriate cost model and pricing principles suitable for the Botswana market. The costing model 
introduced a three -year red uction in termination rates to reach a converged rate of BWP  0.13 
per minute. Tariffs on value  added services are set by the operators.  
4.64.  Interconnection agreements are negotiated between the public telecom operators, subject to 
BOCRA's approval. BOCRA may s ettle disputes between the parties to an interconnection agreement; 
decisions may be appealed to the High Court.147 There were no changes to BOCRA's interconnection 
guidelines over the review period. As at the time of the previous Review, there is no number  porting 
regime in place for fixed -line and mobile telecom services.  
4.65.  With respect to spectrum allocation, the authorities indicate that high priority spectrum (such 
as for international mobile telecommunications) is allocated through a competitive process.  BOCRA 
puts forward bands of available spectrum for bidding. Bidders submit their business case, rollout 
plans , and financial capabilities , and the bidder with the most convincing submission is awarded the 
spectrum. Other spectrum, such as point -to-point, is assigned on a case -by-case basis through an 
 
146 BoB, Annual Report 2021 . Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -reports . 
147 BOCRA , Guidelines on Interconnection for Botswana Telecommunications Sector . Viewed  at: 
https://www.bocra.org.bw/sites/default/files/documents/INTERCONNECTION_GUIDELINES.pdf . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  application process. Botswana has migrated all broadcasting services from analogue to digital 
transmission and switched off all but one analogue transmitter.  
4.66.  BOCRA imposed a Universal Service and Access Levy o n service providers , for the first time , 
effective 1  April 2014. The Levy was set at 1% of the operators' annual gross revenues and went 
into the Universal Access and Service Fund. The Fund provides financial assistance for delivery of 
communication s services to unserved and underserved areas.148 Universal service provisions also 
form part of operators' licensing conditions.  
4.4.2   Financial services  
4.67.  Finance and insurance activities accounted for 5.4% of gross value added in 2022 (Table 1.1), 
and 1.4% of employment.149 The financial sector is largely made up of banks and non -bank financial 
institutions (NBFIs), supervised and regulated by the Bank of Botswana (BoB) and Non -Bank 
Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA), respectively. The size of the entire financial 
system was BWP  284 billion in December  2022, representing 112.8% of GDP. The NBFIs, dominated 
by pension funds in value terms, accounted for 55.6% of the financial sector assets in 
December  2022 compared to 44.4% for banks.150 
4.68.  The Bo B is responsible for financial stability. It, inter alia, regulates and supervises 
commercial banks and other financial institutions (i.e. statutory banks, bureaux de change, 
microfinance institutions, and credit bureaux). The Bank of Botswana (Amendment) Act, 2022, which 
came into effect on 14  February  2023, inter alia, enhanced the legal framework for the BoB's 
financial stability mandate, established a statutory Financial Stability Council (FSC), and provided 
for the establishment of a Deposit Insurance Scheme for Botswana (DISB). The FSC coordinates  
policy responses to risks including crisis management.151 An assessment of the stability of the 
domestic financial system is conducted bi -annually through the Financial Stability Report, which is 
published eac h May and November. The modalities to operationalize the DISB started in 
January  2023, and its establishment is expected to strengthen domestic crisis management and 
resolution frameworks.152 
4.69.  The NBFIRA regulates, supervises, and enforces compliance of NBFI s such as pension funds, 
insurance companies, microlenders, and the stock exchange. The NBFIRA, together with the BoB 
and the Ministry of Finance, took part in the ongoing Joint IMF -World Bank -Botswana 2023 Financial 
Stability Assessment Programme aimed at  enhancing the NBFIRA's prudential supervision 
approaches and identifying any structural reforms to the sector that may be deemed necessary.153 
A review of the NBFIRA Act is ongoing.  
4.70.  Botswana has made significant changes to its laws and regulations on finan cial services 
since 2014 (Table  4.7). A Securities (Amendment) Bill was published on 16  December  2022, to  
ensure consistency of definitions between the Securities Act and the NBFIRA Act.154 The Insolvency 
(Amendment) Bill,  2023 was published in February  2023; the intention of the amendment is to 
harmonize the Insolvency Act with the Movable Property (Securities Interest) Act,  2022, and with 
international best practices, especially relating to the treatment of collateral in terms of creditors 
preference and c laims of creditors. The authorities indicate that the National Clearance and 
Settlement Systems Act , 2002 is to be amended into a National Payments System Law to provide 
 
148 UASF , Publications . Viewed  at: http://www.uasf.org.bw/?page_id=75434 . 
149 Bank of Botswana (2022), Annual Report.  Table 1.2A. Viewed at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/sites/default/files/publications/Annual%20Report%202022.pdf . 
150 Information provided by the authorities.  
151 The FSC is chaired by the Governor and is composed of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of 
Finance, Chief Executive Officer of the Non -Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority, Director of the 
Financial Intelligence Agency, and Director of Deposit Insurance  Scheme.  
152 BoB (2019; 2021), Annual Reports . Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -reports . 
153 BoB (2015; 2017), Annual Reports.  Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -reports ; and 
Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (2021/22), Annual Report . Viewed  at: 
https://www.nbfira.org.bw/sites/default/files/NBFIRA%202022%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%20WEB%20PUBLISH
ED.pdf . 
154 The Bill explicitly defines securities infrastructu re business to cover a wide array of businesses 
dealing with securities, including locally issued debentures and private bonds that were previously not 
regulated. The amendment empowers the NBFIRA to enforce and set governance and probity standards on 
individuals and institutions to enhance integrity in the NBFIs sector.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  for the oversight, supervision, management, operation, administration, and regulation of payment, 
clearing , and settlement systems ; the implementation of regional payment integration projects ; and 
generally for matters connected with payment systems.  
Table  4.7 Legal instruments and amendments to legislation on financial services  
Legal instruments and 
amendments  Amendment purposes  
Retirement Funds Act, 2014  Provide a regulatory framework for licensing funds ; and e nsure sustainability of the 
retirement funds and to further align the domestic laws with international standards  
Securities Act, 2014  Provide for the regulation and supervision of securities institutions and markets; and 
prohibit insider trading and other forms of market abuse  
Botswana Stock  Exchange 
(Transition) Act, 2015  Provide for the registration of the Botswana Stock Exchange as a public company 
limited by shares under the Companies Act  
Prudential Rules for 
Systemically Important 
Micro Lenders, 2018  Regulate the establishment, operatio ns, and business conduct of micro lenders  
Electronic Payment Services 
(EPS) Regulations, 2019  Provide a regulatory framework for the provision and usage of electronic payment 
services in Botswana, the administration of licen ces including infrastructure an d 
operations, electronic payments transactions, and Money or Value Transfer Service ; 
and promote an enabling environment for innovation in financial services delivery 
channels  
Insurance Industry Act of 
2015, Insurance Industry 
Regulations, 2019  Align with risk -based supervision model adopted by NBFIRA (the prior Act was 
compliance based) ; and enhance and elaborate on provisions relating to  regulation 
and supervision of the insurance industry  
Credit Information Act, 
2021 Provide for the regulatio n of credit information sharing among credit providers  
Virtual Assets Act, 2022  Provide a regulatory framework for licensing of virtual assets businesses ; and 
support the adoption of crypto assets by domestic firms and households  
Banking Act, 2023  Repeal and re -enact the Banking Act to align with international best practices; and 
ensure that Botswana's regulatory and supervisory standards are reflective of or 
responsive to domestic and foreign financial systems  
Source:  NBFIRA and BoB.  
4.71.  A notable dev elopment in  2021 was the removal of Botswana from the Financial Action Task 
Force (FATF) list of countries subject to increased monitoring (grey listing).155 
4.72.  In 2017, the BoB played a major role in ensuring the successful adoption of the web -based 
Customs Management System by the BURS. A new referencing algorithm was later developed in the 
Botswana Interbank Settlement System (BISS) to cater for settlement of BURS customs duty 
transactions.  
4.73.  As indicated by the authorities, four  Botswana banks partic ipate in the SADC Real Time Gross 
Settlement System (SADC -RTGS) (formerly known as SIRESS).156 SADC -RTGS was launched in 
July 2013 to facilitate regional cross -border transactions and lower transaction costs. It is considered 
an important milestone towards regional trade facilitation and economic integration.157 The 
SADC -RTGS has become open to the non -bank segment through the Transactions Cleared on an 
Immediate Basis (TCIB) Payment Scheme, a cross -border low value payment scheme that enables  
the immediate c learing of single credit "push" transactions, settled on a deferred basis. The TCIB 
service , which went live on 30 July 2021, is designed to be available on a 24/7/365 basis. Eligible 
banks and non -banks are allowed to participate in the TCIB payment schem e and  transactions are  
settled daily through the SADC -RTGS system. In the scheme, transactions may be initiated via 
multiple channels such as through a mobile phone or through an agent used for cash -in and cash -
out services.158 
 
155 FATF, Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring – October  2021. Viewed  at: https://www.fatf -
gafi.org/en/publications/High -risk-and-other -monitored -jurisdictions/Increased -monitoring -october -2021.html . 
156 The four Botswana banks are First Capital Bank Ltd, Access Bank Botswana Ltd, First National Bank 
of Botswana Ltd, and Stanbic Bank Botswana Ltd. 
157 BoB (2014; 2016; 2017), Annual Reports . Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -
reports .  
158 BoB (2014; 2016; 2017), Annual Reports . Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -
reports .  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  4.4.2.1   Bankin g 
4.74.  Botswana has nine  commercial banks, of which four are dominant in asset size (78.4% of the 
total) with assets valued at BWP  117 billion in  2022, and two statutory banks (Section  3.3.5.2) with 
assets valued at BWP  7.3 billion in  2022. The commercial banks' reserves amounted to 
USD 7.5 billion, i.e. about 18  months of import cover for goods and services.159 The access to 
banking services ratio or the number of depositors to adult population was 82.1% in  2022.  
4.75.  The credit provided by commercial banks was BWP  73.2 billion in  2022, co mpared to 
BWP 3.9 billion by microlenders. There is a high concentration of loan financing to households (about 
66% of total credit compared to 28% for business).  
4.76.  Recently, there has been a proliferation of digital and mobile wallets driven by incumbent 
banks and telecommunications companies that has facilitated direct provision of financial and 
payment services. According to the authorities, the number of active mobile money agents increased 
from 1,324 in  2019 to 4,552 in  2022. The number of registered mob ile money accounts increased 
from 1,271,936 to 1,881,761 over the same period. The value of total mobile money cash -out 
increased from BWP  79 million in  2019 to BWP  641 million in  2022.  
4.77.  The licensing requirements and procedures for establishing a bank in B otswana are set out in 
the Banking Act. The company or bank branch must be locally incorporated in Botswana and the 
proposed banking establishment must have the prescribed initial minimum capital of BWP  5 million. 
If applicants are majority owned by holdin g companies or a part of a financial conglomerate, the 
parent entity should demonstrate capacity to be a source of financial strength for the applicant. 
Banks in Botswana are required to maintain a capital adequacy ratio at or above 12.5%.160 
4.78.  Commercial ban ks are prohibited from engaging in insurance activities and from doing 
non-banking business or acquiring or holding shares in other financial institutions or any other 
company, with some exceptions.161 More generally, they are prohibited from engaging in ac tivities 
that could undermine the safety of depositors' funds.162 
4.79.  Application for a banking licence costs BWP  15,000, and the licence is renewable annually 
against payment of the prescribed fee as per the Banking Act.163 Six applications for a commercial 
banking licence, one for an offshore investment bank, and one for a credit institution have been  
received since 2014. Five commercial bank applications, the offshore investment bank , and the credit 
institution were rejected.164 
4.80.  As of mid -2023, there were nine  licensed commercial banks, most of which are 
foreign -owned. In 2022, BBS  Ltd was issued with a commercial bank licence to trade as 
BBS Bank Ltd, becoming  the first indigenous commercial bank. This followed the demutuali zation of 
Botswana B uilding Society (BBS) in 2017. 
4.81.  Botswana did not schedule any specific commitments on banking services under the GATS.  
4.4.2.2   Insurance  
4.82.  The insurance industry comprises life insurance, general insurance, reinsurance, and medical 
insurance funds. According to the I nsurance Industry Act , 2015, An insurer cannot transact both 
 
159 BoB (2015; 2017), Annual Reports . Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -reports ; 
BoB (2021), Banking Supervision  Annual  Report . Viewed  at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/publication/banking -supervision -annual -report -2021; and Non-Bank Fina ncial 
Institutions Regulatory Authority (2021/22), Annual Report . Viewed  at: 
https://www.nbfira.org.bw/sites/default/files/NBFIRA%202022%20ANNU AL%20REPORT%20WEB%20PUBLISH
ED.pdf . 
160 BoB (2021), Banking Supervision Annual Report . Viewed  at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/publication/banking -supervision -annual -report -2021.  
161 These exceptions are set out in Sections  17(10) and 17(11) of the Banking Act.  
162 WTO Services Trade Policy Database. Viewed at: http://i -tip.wto.org/services/SearchApplied.aspx . 
163 WTO Services Trade Policy Database. Viewed at: http://i-tip.wto.org/services/SearchApplied.aspx . 
164 The main reasons for rejection of applications were the proposal to use debt as capital, inability to 
demonstrate availability of own funds as back -up capital, complex own ership structures that could impede 
supervision, and negative reports on fitness and propriety of key stakeholders.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  general and long -term insurance business, unless the insurer is licensed as a reinsurer .165 An 
insurance company is also prohibited from engaging in capital markets activities (e.g. trading in 
securities, underwriting of securities) and banking activities.  
4.83.  An insurance company licensed in Botswana may cover risks abroad if the foreign jurisdiction 
laws allow. However, no insurance company licensed abroad can transact insurance business in 
Botswana.  Insurance premiums are set by the insurers and are not regulated. Reinsurers are allowed 
to write both local and external business and may do any category or class of reinsurance business 
except where specially restricted.  
4.84.  The Insurance Industry Act,  2015 (as amended) provides for the licensing, governance, and 
regulation of all insurers, insurance brokers, insurance agents, and their representatives operating 
in Botswana. In  2021, the number of licensed entities by NBFIRA were 231, composed of 20  insurers , 
4 reinsurers, 5  medical aid funds, 58  insurance brokers, and 144  corporate insurance agents. 
Licences were cancelled for various reasons including voluntary withdrawal and non -compliance.166 
4.85.  Application for an insurance licence in Botswana costs BWP 25,000 and the licences are 
renewable annually by paying the prescribed fee as per the Insurance Industry Act,  2015 and 
Insurance Industry Regulations,  2019. As indicated by the authorities, over the review period only 
one life insurer licence applicat ion was rejected (in  2016) because of not meeting the licensing 
requirements.  
4.86.  As per the Industry Insurance Act,  2015 and Industry Insurance Regulations,  2019, the 
minimum capital requirement for a long -term insurer and reinsurer is that they must maintain  a 
minimum capital target that is higher than BWP  10 million or an amount representing 25% of its 
operating expenses as defined and reported in the annual return estimated for the following year. A  
general insurer must maintain a minimum capital target that is higher than BWP  5 million or an 
amount representing 25% of operating expenses as defined and reported in the annual return 
estimated for the following year. An insurer must establish an office in Botswana with the approval 
of the regulatory authority and must appoint a principal officer who must be resident in Botswana.  
4.87.  As of 2015, the uptake of insurance services (30% of adult population) was below that of 
banking services (50% of adult population). Insurance penetration (ratio for Gross Written Premi ums 
(GWP) by Life and General Insurers to nominal GDP) has been stagnant at around 3% since  2012. 
The life insurance business dominated the insurance sector with a market share of 73% in terms of 
GWP and 85% in terms of assets in  2021.167 
4.88.  A proposal to esta blish a Deposit Protection Fund (DPF) for Botswana was endorsed by the 
Minister of Finance and Economic Development. In  2021, the BoB was formulating the legal, 
institutional, and operational frameworks for effective implementation of a DPF project, and  
Botswana became an associate member of the International Association of Deposit Insurers in the 
same year.168 
 
165 General insurance business includes accident, health, and property insurance, while long -term 
insurance business includes disability and life insurance.  
166 Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (2021/22), Annual Report . Viewed  at: 
https://www.nbfira. org.bw/sites/default/files/NBFIRA%202022%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%20WEB%20PUBLISH
ED.pdf . 
167 BoB (2017), Annual Report . Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -reports; and 
Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (2021/22), Annual Report . Viewed  at: 
https://www.nbfira.org.bw/sites/default/files/NBFIRA%202022%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%20WEB%20PUBLISH
ED.pdf . 
168 BoB (2021), Annual Report . Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -reports ; and 
Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (2021/22), Annual Report . Viewed  at: 
https://www.nbfira.org.bw/sites/default/files/NBFIRA%202022%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%20WEB%20PUBLISH
ED.pdf . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  4.89.  In 2022, the NBFIRA issued corporate governance guidelines for insurers and reinsurers in an 
effort to standardi ze good corporate governance principl es and practices across the insurance 
industry.169 
4.90.  Botswana did not schedule any specific commitments on insurance services under the GATS.  
4.4.3   Transport services  
4.91.  In 2022,  transport and storage contributed 2.3% of gross value added (Table  1.1) and 2.8% 
of employment .170  
4.92.  The Ministry of Transport and Public Works (previously the Ministry of Transport and 
Communications) is responsible for developing integrated transport services and appropriate 
infrastructure. It ensures that the sector achieves  the objectives of the Transitional National 
Development Plan.171 Under the Ministry, there are three transport parastatals (Botswana Railways, 
Air Botswana, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana  (CAAB)) (Section  3.3.5.2).  
4.93.  Transport access and infras tructure play significant roles in facilitating tourism in Botswana 
and are key priorities for tourism expansion in the 2021 tourism policy. The National Integrated 
Transport Policy White Paper, published in  2011, set out a transport sector vision for 2035 /36.172 
In 2015, the World Bank financed the Integrated Transport Project  (ITP) for Botswana to improve 
the strategic planning of inter -regional transport and critical transport infrastructure.173 
4.4.3.1   Air transport  
4.94.  The main law governing air transport in Botswan a is the Civil Aviation Act No.  2011. The Civil 
Aviation (Amendment) Act entered into force in June  2022 and introduces safety oversight elements 
(including surveillance, licensing, certification, authorization, and approval obligations) in 
compliance with  the Chicago Convention.174 The CAAB, a parastatal, regulates air transport services, 
provides air navigation services, and is responsible for managing all of Botswana's airports (see 
below) and public aerodromes.  
4.95.  Botswana has six state -owned airports: four  international (Sir Seretse Khama International 
Airport  (SSKIA), Maun International Airport, Kasane International Airport, and PG Matante 
International Airport) and two domestic (Selebi Phikwe Airport and Ghanzi Airport). Major 
infrastructure works over th e review period included (i)  construction of a terminal building at SSKIA;  
(ii) construction of an air traffic tower and a new passenger terminal building at Maun International 
Airport , as well as the renovation of the old terminal building; and (iii)  comp leted construction of a 
landing strip and a new passenger terminal building at Kasane Airport. As indicated by the 
authorities, in  2022, over 1.3  million  kg of cargo was transported by planes, significantly more than 
in previous years.  
4.96.  In December  2022, the CAAB adopted its ground -handling management rules , which set out 
the framework for the provision of ground -handling services by third -party ground handlers and self -
handlers. As of mid -2023, there were two ground -handling companies in operation:  Air Botswana  
(see below) and Aircraft Ground Handling , a local privately -owned company.  
4.97.  The air transport sector was severely affected by the COVID -19 pandemic, with the number 
of international and domestic passenger flights dropping by 73.4% and 66.7% , respective ly, 
 
169 Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (2021/22), Annual Report . Viewed  at: 
https://www.nbfira.org.bw/sites/default/files /NBFIRA%202022%20ANNUAL%20REPORT%20WEB%20PUBLISH
ED.pdf . 
170 Bank of Botswana (2022), Annual Report.  Table 1.2A. Viewed at: 
https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/sites/default/files/publications/Annual%20Report%202022.pdf . 
171 Ministry of Finance  (2023 ), Botswana Budget Speech . 
172 Ministry of Transport and Communications (2011), National Integrated Transport Policy White Paper . 
Viewed  at: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/22051823/national -integrated -transport -policy -white -
paper -government -of-. 
173 Bank of Botswana, Annual Report 2015 . Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -reports . 
174 Botswana Civil Aviation (Amendment) Act, 2022. Viewed  at: https://w ww.caab.co.bw/wp -
content/uploads/Civil -Aviation -Amendment -Act-2022.pdf . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  between 2019 and 2020 (Chart  4.3). By the third quarter of 2022, aircraft movements had registered 
a significant recovery.175 Government aid to the sector involved supporting salaries of employees at 
the CAAB and Air  Botswana. The CAAB withheld fee increases to support local operators.  
Chart  4.3 Impact of COVID 19 on air transport, 2019 and 2020  
 
Source:  ICAO, Operational Impact on Air Transport . Viewed  at: https://data.icao.int/coVID -
19/operational.htm . 
4.98.  The market entry and licensing requirements for air carriers have not changed since the last 
Review . Eligible car riers must be licen sed under the Civil Aviation (Licensing of Air Services) 
Regulations. Licences may be obtained by a statutory corporation in Botswana or a company 
incorporated under the Companies Act; the company's principal place of business must be Bo tswana 
and the company needs to be majority owned by citizens of Botswana.176 Licensing fees were 
increased in 2019; fee rates vary depending on the aircraft maximum take -off weight and the 
category of the licence.  
4.99.  As of mid -2023, there were two licensed sc heduled commercial air companies in Botswana 
(Air Botswana  and Mack  Air), both of which serve domestic and international routes. Air Botswana  
services Maun -Johannesburg, Gaborone -Johannesburg, Kasane -Johannesburg, Gaborone -Harare , 
and Gaborone -Lusaka , while Mack Air services Kasane -Victoria Falls. There were eight  licensed 
charter operators in Botswana. There are no requirements for government personnel or cargo to be 
transported on nationally  registered airlines.  
4.100.   Air Botswana is fully government owned. Pri vatization of Air  Botswana is ongoing. A project 
management committee comprising the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Air  Botswana, and 
the Public Enterprises Evaluation and Privatization Agency (PEEPA) has been constituted. The 
Government, as the s hareholder, has appointed the World Bank as a transaction adviser, and a 
detailed study is ongoing to advise on the modalities of privatization and make recommendations. 
Air Botswana is continuing with its restructuring by unbundling the airline and establ ishing 
standalone units: the Air  Botswana Holidays Section, Airline Training Organization (ATO), the 
 
175 In Q3  2019, there were 5,345  international aircraft movements and 24,085  domestic aircraft 
movements. Following a huge contraction in  2020 and a gradual recovery in  2021 and early 2022, by Q3  2022, 
there were 4,275  international aircraft movements and 16,668  domestic aircraft movements. 
Statistics  Botswana , Transport and Infrastructure Statistics, Quarter  3, 2022 . Viewed  at: 
https://www.statsbots.org.bw/sites/default/files/publications/Transport%20%20Infrastructure%20Stats%20Bri
ef%20Q3%202022.pdf . 
176 WTO document WT/TPR/S/324/Rev.1 , 5 February  2016. 
050100150200250300350
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2019 2020020406080100120140160180200
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
DecemberInternational passenger flights Domestic passenger flights
% difference 2019 -20: -66.7% % difference 2019 -20: -73.4%Chart 4.[BTW] Impact of COVID 19 on air transport, 2019 and 2020
Source: ICAO, Operational Impact on Air Transport. Viewed at: https://data.icao.int/coVID -19/operational.htm.WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Maintenance Repair Organization, and the Aircraft Ground Handling company. Government grants 
to Air  Botswana (including COVID -19 relief) over the period 20 13-24 amounted to BWP  1.3 billion.177 
4.101.   Botswana has signed bilateral Air Services Agreements with 12  partners. It also has MoUs 
in place to enable the provision of air services with a further 24  partners; 9  of which entered into 
force over the review period.178 Botswana is a signatory to the Single African Air Transport Market 
(SAATM), which aims to facilitate the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision to establish a 
single unified air transport market in Africa.179 
4.4.3.2   Land  transport  
4.4.3.2.1   Road  transport  
4.102.   Botswana had a road network of about 32,564  km with 32.3% bitumen and 32.9% gravel 
in 2021.180 Botswana passed the Public Roads (Amendment) Bill 2022, which intends to amend the 
Public Roads Act to provide for the establishment of toll roads and collection of levies. Regional 
integration within the SADC is expected to increase road traffic and the Bill aims to benefit from 
that. 
4.103.   As indicated in its previous Review, Botswana has bilateral road transport agreements with 
Namibia, South  Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe . The bilateral agreements between Botswana, 
Namibia, and South  Africa were signed under the SACU umbrella. The main purpose of these 
agreements is to ensure the harmonization of transport regulations and the free flow of goods and 
passengers.  
4.4.3.2.2   Rail transpo rt 
4.104.   Botswana has a single railway link of nearly 900  km that traverses Botswana from 
Ramatlabama in the south to Ramokgwebana in the north. It forms a direct link between South  Africa 
and some countries to the north (i.e.  Angola, the Democratic  Republic  of Congo, Mozambique, 
Zambia, and Zimbabwe). Over the review period, the railway system was largely used to transport 
commodities such as copper, soda ash and salt, coal, and fuel. Passenger services were stopped 
in 2009, resumed in  2016, and then discontinue d again during the COVID -19 pandemic and since 
that time.  
4.105.   The main law governing the rail subsector is the Railways Act; there were no amendments 
over the review period.  
4.106.   As indicated by the authorities, rolling stock is permitted to cross the border into 
neighbouring countries carrying freight; the locomotive power and train crews are changed at the 
nearest exchange point. A working agreement was reached in December  2022 to enable 
Botswana  Railways  locomotives to run through to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe and for National  Railways 
of Zimbabwe to operate its locomotives to Francistown in Botswana.181 
4.107.   Botswana has major cross -border railway projects to South  Africa, Namibia, and Zambia 
being structured for implementation on a public -private partnership basis.182 Botswa na seeks to 
 
177 Information provided by the authorities.  
178 Since 2014, Botswana signed M oUs on air services with Eswatini, New  Zealand , Chile, Oman, Spain, 
Switzerland, India, Italy, and  Jordan.  
179 IATA, The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) . Viewed  at: 
https://www.iata.org/en/about/worldwide/ame/saatm/.  
180 Statistics Botswana  (2022),  Transport & Infrastructure Statistics Report 2021 . Viewed  at: 
https://www.statsbots.o rg.bw/sites/default/files/publications/Transport%20%26%20Infrastructure%20Statisti
cs%20Report%202021.pdf   
181 Railway Gazette International  (2022), " Botswana –Zimbabwe Through Working Agreement Signed ", 
20 December . Viewed  at: https://www.railwaygazette.com/freight/botswana -zimbabwe -through -working -
agreement -signed/63199.article . 
182 Ministry of Finance  (2022), Botswana Budget Speech . WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  benefit from the regionalization of the railways within the SADC and improve rail market share and 
services.183 
4.108.   In 2022, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique announced their agreement to invest in a 
feasibility study to construct a deep -water port  in Maputo province, Mozambique, and a railway line 
that would link the three countries. The aim is to boost and facilitate trade between them, particularly 
the import and export of oil.184 In the same year, an agreement was reached between 
Botswana  Railway s and Transnet Freight Rail to give Botswana more efficient access to South  African 
ports. This project is to be funded by the two governments. Additionally, the two operators plan to 
build a connecting link from Mmamabula in Botswana to Lephalale in South  Africa to facilitate the 
movement of commodities such as soda ash, iron ore, cement, fuel, container traffic, and coal185; 
an expression of interest has been issued to finance and develop the project. A feasibility study is 
being undertaken to develop a ra il link between Mosetse in Botswana and Livingstone in Zambia. An 
expression of interest is also being drafted for the Trans -Kalahari Railway connecting Botswana and 
Namibia.  
4.4.4   Tourism  
4.109.   Tourism is one of the strategic services sectors being developed by Botswana to diversify its 
economy and create jobs, the objectives being 11.4% contribution to GDP and 40,000  employees in 
tourism by  2030.186 The development of the tourism value chain (i.e. travel and hospitality) is aimed 
at creating investment opportunit ies in the tourism sector through, inter alia, the Kasane -Kazungula 
re-development project.187 In 2021, Botswana was ranked 76th out of 117  economies (3.4  score out 
of 7 in  2015 and 3.7  score out of 7 in  2021) based on the World Economic Forum Travel and To urism 
Development (Competitiveness) Index.188 
4.110.   Botswana has abundant wildlife and wilderness resources with more than 17% of all available 
land set aside for National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, and a further 23% of land for Wildlife 
Management Areas. Th e Trans -Frontier Conservation Areas aim to ensure that key ecological 
processes continue to function and are not limited by political boundaries within the 
SADC  members.189 The Botswana Land Policy,  2015 recognizes tourism as one of the engines of 
economic growth.  
4.111.   The period 2015 -18 saw a steady increase in tourist arrivals, followed by a major drop 
in 2020 due to the COVID -19 pandemic and the imposition of inbound travel restrictions 
(Table  4.8).190 Most tourist arrivals are from South  Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.  
 
183 Ministry of Transport and Communications (2011), National Integrated Transport Policy White Paper . 
Viewed  at: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/22051823/national -integrated -transport -policy -white -
paper -government -of-. 
184 Club of Mozambique  (2022), " Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique: $3 M for Techobanine Port and 
Railway Feasibility Study", 14 April. Viewed  at: https://clubofmozambique.com/news/botswana -zimbabwe -and-
mozambique -3m-for-techobanine -port-and-railway -feasib ility-study -watch -214249/ .  
185 Railway Gazette International  (2022), " Botswana –South  Africa Rail Enhancements Agreed ", 
10 August . Viewed  at: https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/botswana -south -africa -rail-
enhancements -agreed/62325.article?adredir=1 . 
186 Botswana Tourism Policy , 2021.  
187 Ministry of Fina nce, 2023 Budget Speech . Viewed  at: 
https://www.finance.gov.bw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=585&catid=22&Itemid=108 . 
188 Japan ranked 1st with a score of 5.2. World Economic Forum (2022). Travel & Tourism Development 
Index 2021: Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future . Viewed  at: 
https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Travel_Tourism_Development_2021.pdf?_gl=1*x30ao8*_up*MQ ..&gcli
d=EAIaIQobChMI55zumNyS_wIVBP93Ch37GwQ2EAAYASAAEgL5ofD_BwE . 
189 Botswana Tourism Policy 2021.  
190 Most border posts were closed at the beginning of April  2020, with only a few opened to facilitate 
essential travel durin g 2020.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Table  4.8 Tourists and total arrivals , 2015 -20 
(Number)  
Arrivals  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  
Tourists  1,660,200  1,712,234  1,774,960  1,830,274  1,555,399  358,225  
Other 
travellers  841,416  689,552  530,245  757,237  805,435  142,209  
Total arrivals  2,501,616  2,401,786  2,305,205  2,587,511  2,360,834  500,434  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
4.112.   To cushion the industry against the effects of the COVID -19 pandemic , a nine -month wage 
subsidy for all licensed tourism enterprises and freelance personnel was introduced. BWP  200 million  
was allocated to the National Development Bank (NDB) to provide a l oan facility to the tourism 
industry; loans were offered at a 0% interest rate with a repayment grace period of six months. The 
sector also received external support of over BWP  82 million from Germany towards various 
initiatives.191 Botswana introduced tra vels bubbles to allow for direct flights for travellers from 
COVID -19-free countries into tourist areas in Botswana to facilitate tourist travel.  
4.113.   Under the Ministry of Environment, (MET), the Department of Tourism is responsible for 
formulating, monitoring , and facilitating the implementation of policies and strategies for sustainable 
tourism development. The Botswana Tourism Organization, a Ministry parastatal, is responsible for 
tourism marketing, product and regional diversification, investment, and the grading and 
classification of tourist facilities. A Tourism Land Bank, under the Ministry, aims to help develop the 
sector by ensuring land is set aside for tourism activities.  
4.114.   The Tourism Act , 2009 remains in force . Schedule IV of the Act provides for min imum 
requirements for all tourist enterprises. In April  2021, a new tourism policy was approved (replacing 
the 1990 Tourism Policy). It aims to (i) help strengthen or harmonize the legal and regulatory 
environment; and (ii) align the tourism industry with the current trends, by creating linkages with 
other sectors, National Vision  2036, NDP 11, and Sustainable Development Goals. The policy seeks 
to create an enabling environment for Botswana as a tourism destination of choice and to promote 
private sector i nitiatives in tourism. It seeks to enable the land allocated through the tourism citizen 
economic empowerment model to be used as collateral to secure shareholding or partnerships 
(market access opportunity) , and gives  preferential allocation of 70% to new  entrants and 30% to 
existing participants in the tourism sector. It also aims to improve all border entry port facilities and 
harmonize entry requirements on SADC standards to enable the establishment of one -stop-border 
entry points.  
4.115.   Licences are required  for various types of tourist accommodation and tourism services. 
Licences fees are charged annually and range from BWP  300 to BWP  1,500. A tourist levy is collected 
on all licensed tourist establishments offering accommodation at a rate of BWP  10 per paying guest 
per day.  
4.116.   Botswana scheduled specific commitments on tourism services under the GATS.192 
 
191 BoB (2020). Annual Report . Viewed  at: https://www.bankofbotswana.bw/annual -reports . 
192 WTO document GATS/SC/109 , 30 August  1995.  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  5  APPENDIX  TABLES  
Table  A1.1 Merchandise exports by HS section/chapter/subheading, 2014 -22 
HS section/  
HS chapter/  
subhe ading 2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Total exports 
(USD  million)  8,538.1  6,329.7  7,320.7  5,962.9  6,590.1  5,254.3  4,287.2  7,473.5  8,277.1   
  (% of total)  
1-Live animals and 
products  1.4 1.9 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.3 
2-Vegetable 
products  0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 
3-Fats and oils  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
4-Prepared food, 
beverages and 
tobacco  0.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 
5-Mineral products  2.6 1.7 0.5 0.5 0.9 0.7 1.6 2.3 4.9 
6-Chemicals and 
products thereof  0.7 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 0.9 1.3 0.9 1.0 
7-Plastics and 
rubber  0.4 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.4 
8-Raw hides and 
skins; leather, 
furskins and articles 
thereof  0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
9-Wood, cork, straw  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
10-Pulp of wood; 
paper and 
paperboard  0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
11-Textiles and 
textile articles  0.5 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 
12-Footwear, 
headgear, etc.  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
13-Articles of stone, 
plaster, cement  0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
14-Precious stones 
and metals  86.0 83.4 88.7 91.2 90.5 91.2 89.3 90.7 87.5 
HS 7102 
Diamonds  85.4 83.0 88.1 90.6 89.9 90.4 88.2 90.1 87.2 
HS 710231 
Unworked 
or simply 
sawn, 
cleaved or 
bruted  75.3 75.2 82.2 79.5 76.6 74.2 75.1 78.4 69.1 
HS 710239 
Other  9.6 7.0 5.5 9.1 12.9 16.0 13.0 11.4 17.6 
15-Base metals and 
articles thereof  4.7 5.6 3.6 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 
16-Machinery, 
electrical equipment  1.9 3.2 2.6 3.0 2.9 2.8 3.3 2.4 2.6 
17-Transport 
equipment  0.8 1.1 0.7 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.6 
18-Precision 
equipment  0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 
19-Arms and 
ammunition  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
20-Miscellaneous 
manufactured 
articles  0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 
21-Works of art, etc.  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Other  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Table  A1.2 Merchandise exports by destination, 2014 -22 
  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Total exports 
(USD  million)  8,538.1  6,329.7  7,320.7  5,962.9  6,590.1  5,254.3  4,287.2  7,473.5  8,277.1   
  (% of total)  
Americas  9.2 8.8 7.3 2.7 4.0 1.9 1.5 1.8 2.7 
United  States  2.7 2.5 2.3 2.2 3.3 1.5 1.4 1.5 2.0 
Other America  6.5 6.3 5.0 0.5 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.3 0.7 
Anguilla  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.6 
Canada  6.5 6.3 5.0 0.5 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.1 
Europe  31.8 30.8 25.6 26.2 25.0 23.9 22.3 24.2 19.5 
EU-27 24.8 21.3 19.8 23.1 21.6 20.2 21.4 23.6 18.9 
Belgium  23.5 19.8 18.9 22.6 20.8 19.5 21.2 23.5 18.8 
EFTA 6.1 8.4 4.5 2.4 2.5 3.4 0.8 0.5 0.5 
Switzerland  3.3 4.3 2.6 2.4 2.5 3.4 0.8 0.4 0.5 
Other Europe  0.9 1.0 1.3 0.7 0.8 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.1 
Commonwealth 
of Independent 
States (CIS)a 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 
Africa  25.4 29.2 26.5 13.6 13.8 14.5 16.8 12.3 13.8 
South  Africa  13.3 15.5 13.6 9.9 9.2 9.9 13.3 9.1 10.1 
Namibia  9.8 11.8 11.6 2.5 2.7 3.1 1.5 1.9 2.2 
Zimbabwe  1.5 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.6 0.8 
Zambia  0.5 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.9 0.5 0.4 
Middle East  11.9 11.4 15.8 24.0 22.3 25.2 26.7 31.7 33.2 
United Arab 
Emirates  4.2 5.3 9.7 16.4 14.5 18.1 21.8 25.6 27.2 
Israel  7.6 6.0 6.1 7.6 7.8 7.1 4.9 6.0 6.0 
Asia 21.7 19.9 24.9 33.4 34.9 34.4 32.4 30.0 30.8 
China  0.7 0.6 0.6 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 3.1 
Japan  0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.3 0.4 
Other Asia  20.9 19.2 24.1 32.8 34.6 34.0 32.2 28.5 27.2 
India 13.7 12.4 15.1 19.5 20.0 21.5 20.8 17.3 15.2 
Singapore  3.7 3.3 5.6 8.1 8.0 5.5 6.4 5.7 6.5 
Hong Kong, 
China  2.6 1.9 2.5 4.4 5.7 5.8 4.3 4.9 4.5 
Viet Nam 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.7 1.1 0.5 0.4 0.7 
Cambodia  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.2 
Other  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Memo:           
EU-28 25.7 22.3 21.0 23.8 22.4 20.6 21.5 23.6 19.0 
SACU  23.1 27.3 25.2 12.4 12.0 13.0 14.9 11.0 12.3 
a Commonwealth of Independent States, including certain associate and former member States.  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Table  A1.3 Merchandise imports by HS section/chapter/subheading, 2014 -22 
HS section/  
HS chapter/  
subhe ading 2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Total imports 
(USD  million)  9,150.2  8,048.0  6,102.7  5,339.3  6,333.0  6,569.7  6,508.4  8,459.4  8,005.2   
  (% of total)  
1-Live animals and 
products  0.9 0.9 1.1 1.4 1.2 1.1 1.2 1.0 0.9 
2-Vegetable 
products  2.5 2.9 3.7 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.9 3.2 3.8 
3-Fats and oils  0.4 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8 
4-Prepared food, 
beverages and 
tobacco  4.0 4.6 5.8 7.0 7.0 7.7 7.0 6.6 7.9 
5-Mineral products  25.5 23.1 15.2 15.6 14.1 13.5 13.9 12.8 19.3 
HS 27 Mineral 
fuels 24.6 20.8 12.9 14.7 13.2 12.5 13.0 11.9 18.5 
HS 2710 
Petroleum 
oils and oils 
obtained 
from 
bituminous 
minerals, 
other than 
crude  22.7 19.3 10.3 13.5 12.8 10.7 9.5 9.7 16.8 
6-Chemicals and 
products thereof  4.6 5.2 7.0 7.2 5.9 6.0 6.7 6.4 6.0 
HS 30 
Pharmaceutical 
products  1.2 1.6 3.0 3.2 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.3 1.5 
HS 3004 
Medicaments  0.9 1.1 2.6 2.8 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.1 
7-Plastics and 
rubber  2.5 2.7 2.9 3.1 2.9 3.0 2.7 3.0 3.3 
HS 39 Plastics 
and articles 
thereof  1.5 1.5 1.8 1.9 1.9 2.1 1.8 2.0 2.2 
8-Raw hides and 
skins; leather, 
furskins and articles 
thereof  0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 
9-Wood, cork, straw  0.7 0.8 1.1 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.1 0.9 
10-Pulp of wood; 
paper and 
paperboard  1.1 1.0 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.0 0.9 1.0 
11-Textiles and 
textile articles  1.8 1.9 2.2 2.3 2.1 1.8 1.5 1.6 1.8 
12-Footwear, 
headgear, etc.  0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 
13-Articles of stone, 
plaster, cement  0.7 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.8 1.2 1.2 1.1 0.9 
14-Precious stones 
and metals  31.8 31.1 28.4 26.2 28.4 28.5 31.0 35.1 27.6 
HS 7102 
Diamonds  31.7 31.1 28.3 26.1 28.4 28.4 30.9 35.1 27.6 
HS 710231 
Unworked or 
simply sawn, 
cleaved or 
bruted  26.1 24.1 22.3 14.5 15.9 14.8 24.2 27.5 17.5 
HS 710239 
Other  1.3 1.1 0.7 2.7 4.4 6.8 3.7 5.3 6.8 
15-Base metals and 
articles thereof  3.4 3.6 4.6 4.5 4.5 5.0 4.0 4.7 4.5 
HS 73 Articles of 
iron or steel  1.7 1.8 2.4 2.0 1.9 2.4 1.8 2.0 2.0 
16-Machinery, 
electrical equipment  10.2 11.5 13.7 13.1 13.1 12.4 11.1 11.0 11.9 
HS 84 Machinery 
and mechanical 
appliances; 
parts thereof  6.3 6.8 8.2 7.7 7.6 6.7 6.0 6.6 7.3 
HS 85 Electrical 
machinery and 
equipment and 
parts thereof  3.9 4.6 5.6 5.5 5.5 5.7 5.1 4.4 4.7 
17-Transport 
equipment  6.9 6.6 7.5 7.5 8.2 9.7 8.7 7.3 6.0 
HS 87 Vehicles  6.2 5.7 6.4 6.3 7.0 8.6 8.4 7.1 5.6 
18-Precision 
equipment  0.8 0.9 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.1 1.3 1.1 1.1 
19-Arms and 
ammunition  0.1 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.9 0.4 0.7 0.0 0.0 WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  HS section/  
HS chapter/  
subhe ading 2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
20-Miscellaneous 
manufactured 
articles  1.1 1.2 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.4 
21-Works of art, 
etc. 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Other  0.1 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.  
  WT/TPR/S/ 447/Rev.1  • Botswana  
 
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  Table  A1.4 Merchandise imports by origin, 2014 -22 
  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022  
Total imports 
(USD  million)  9,150.2  8,048.0  6,102.7  5,339.3  6,333.0  6,569.7  6,508.4  8,459.4  8,005.2   
  (% of total)  
Americas  10.6 7.4 6.6 10.5 9.7 8.8 4.0 3.6 6.5 
United  States  1.2 1.0 0.9 1.6 1.2 1.8 0.7 0.7 1.5 
Other America  9.3 6.4 5.7 8.9 8.5 7.0 3.3 2.9 5.0 
Canada  9.3 6.3 5.6 8.8 8.4 6.9 3.2 2.6 3.6 
Europe  5.9 5.4 7.1 4.7 6.6 10.3 13.2 18.5 9.2 
EU-27 5.0 4.4 5.4 3.5 5.3 8.3 10.7 17.0 7.8 
Belgium  3.4 2.6 2.6 1.4 2.1 3.3 7.8 14.2 5.6 
France  0.2 0.2 0.7 0.2 0.9 2.8 1.3 1.0 0.7 
Germany  0.8 1.1 1.4 1.0 1.1 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.2 
EFTA 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.9 2.0 1.0 0.6 
Switzerland  0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.9 1.9 1.0 0.6 
Other Europe  0.8 0.8 1.4 1.0 1.0 1.2 0.5 0.5 0.8 
United  Kingdom  0.7 0.7 1.3 0.9 0.9 1.1 0.4 0.4 0.6 
Commonwealth of 
Independent States 
(CIS)a 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.7 2.1 1.7 2.1 0.6 
Russian  
Federation  0.1 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.7 2.1 1.7 2.1 0.6 
Africa  79.0 81.9 78.1 73.2 73.2 68.8 67.4 61.4 72.4 
South  Africa  66.4 65.3 64.6 64.5 62.9 57.9 58.3 54.8 62.8 
Namibia  11.5 14.5 10.5 6.6 8.2 7.9 7.6 4.7 7.2 
Zambia  0.4 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.3 1.4 0.4 0.7 0.8 
Mozambique  0.3 0.9 1.9 1.0 0.6 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.7 
Zimbabwe  0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.3 
Middle East  1.4 1.3 1.3 4.1 2.1 1.1 5.1 5.3 1.7 
United Arab 
Emirates  0.1 0.4 0.3 2.3 0.7 0.5 4.3 4.8 1.4 
Israel  1.3 0.9 0.9 1.8 1.4 0.3 0.6 0.5 0.2 
Asia 3.0 3.7 6.6 7.0 7.8 8.8 8.6 9.1 9.7 
China  1.0 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.8 1.9 2.5 2.3 2.5 
Japan  0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8 1.1 0.9 0.7 
Other Asia  1.5 1.8 4.5 5.0 5.2 6.0 5.0 5.9 6.5 
India 0.8 0.8 2.6 3.5 3.4 4.2 2.7 4.8 4.4 
Singapore  0.2 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.9 0.1 0.7 
Australia  0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.6 
Hong Kong,  China  0.2 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.4 0.4 
Memo:          
 
EU-28 5.7 5.2 6.8 4.4 6.3 9.3 11.1 17.4 8.4 
SACU  77.9 80.0 75.3 71.3 71.3 66.2 66.3 59.9 70.4 
a Commonwealth of Independent States, including certain associate and former member States.  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on UN Comtrade database.