Botswana Travel Guide
Botswana Travel Guide
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Into the future

Botswana Travel Guide

Into the future



Botswana is highly regarded by the world community. It has maintained one of the world’s highest growth rates since independence, using its diamond revenues to change from one of the world’s poorest countries into a prosperous ‘middle-income’ country.
President Festus Mogae was born in 1939 and trained at Oxford as an economist. He served as executive director at the IMF for Anglophone Africa, and later in various senior government posts including governor of the Bank of Botswana, before becoming vice-president in 1992. He has a thorough understanding of economics and although not one for high-profile media splashes on the world stage, he is likely to make a first-rate job of running the country. There is nothing to indicate that anyone on the domestic political scene will be able to mount an effective challenge to the BDP or President Mogae in the near future.
Looking to the next few years, Botswana will have some major challenges to face up to. Unemployment is becoming a problem: officially 19%, but unofficial estimates claim closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are amongst the highest in the world, and it remains to be seen how the government will cope.
The relative instability of Zimbabwe, on Botswana’s eastern border, is a cause for concern – although it seems unlikely that this will impact on Botswana significantly, except for a possible influx of refugees and economic migrants.
Perhaps the most interesting issue, and a litmus test of the government’s foresight, will be their preparations for the gradual demise of the country’s diamond industry. Diversification is essential, and tourism must surely be a crucial part of this mix, but replacing such a huge sector of the economy will be difficult.


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