Botswana - The Economic Diversification Support Programme

The present Economic Diversification Support Programme (EDSL) is designed to support the implementation of the Government’s 2009/10 budget aimed at alleviating the negative impact of the global financial and economic crisis on Botswana’s economy. It should permit to fill part of the budget deficit (13.5% of GDP) through the creation of a competitive environment conducive to accelerating private sector growth, economic diversification and poverty reduction. The programme should also reinforce GoB’s efforts to sustain growth, employment and poverty reduction in the long run. The EDSL focuses on the following key areas of reforms (i) promotion of privatization and Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) initiatives, (ii) Improvement of competitiveness and trade, and (iii) improvement of financial sector governance and strengthening of the regulation of nonbank financial institutions.