World Bank takes active interest in Botswana ::

After more than two decades of inactivity, the World Bank is resuscitating Botswana’s borrowing from the international lender with vigour. In its bid to opening up its lending to Botswana, the bank in June 2009 approved Botswana Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for 2009/13 entailing a 100% cost sharing limit which the bank may finance. While continuing to emphasise borrower commitment and ownership of individual projects, the bank would retain the option of financing up to 100% of project costs. However, specific arrangements would be determined for individual projects, taking into account project specific considerations. In practice, the bank’s financing share in many projects is expected to be less than 100% given government contribution and other donor participation,” states the CPS.

Botswana is in need of a more competitive and dynamic private sector that can generate more employment and to make this a reality, skills development must be more responsive to the needs of the labour market. Given Botswana’s scenario, the World Bank will support the government’s efforts to enhance public sector management, to fight HIV/AIDS and improve education outcomes, to increase competitiveness by investing in critical infrastructure and to improve the effectiveness of environmental programmes.