Trade ministry requests budget

GABORONE - The Ministry of Trade and Industry has requested about P420 million for its recurrent budget and over P100 million for its development budget during the coming financial year.
Presenting his ministry's budget proposal on Monday, Mr Neo Moroka said they plan to use the bulk of the funds to develop the Local Enterprise Authority, the ministry infrastructure facilities and BEDIA.
He said P51 million will be used to implement the ministry's management information system, the Francistown light industrial incubator, the Gaborone leather incubator and the second phase of the Pilane multipurpose business incubator.
He said BEDIA on the other hand requires funds for the construction of factory shells in Gaborone.
Mr Moroka said the ministry's infrastructure facilities will require P27 million for the construction of an office block and staff houses in Kasane, an integrated office and staff houses in Tsabong and a co-operative training centre in Sebele.
The minister also appraised Parliament on the achievements of his ministry during National Development Plan 9.
He cited the review and enactment of laws and regulations and the development of policies to attract investment.
He said some of them are the Companies Act of 2006, the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act, the Industrial Development Act of 2006, the Trade Act of 2003, the Liquor Act of 2003, the Alcohol Levy, the formulation of the traditional beer regulations, the review of the Cooperative Societies Act and the Industrial Development Policy of 1997.
Mr Moroka said BEDIA is continuing to employ a strategic approach of investor targeting in order to achieve greater results, increase investment flows, employment and export revenue.
On other issues, he said the consultants have submitted the draft policy and a model law on special economic zones for consideration.
"My Ministry is currently soliciting input from stakeholders after which recommendations will be submitted to cabinet," said the minister Mr Moroka, who is also the MP for Kgalagadi South, said land-measuring 414 hectors has been reserved for special economic zones.
He added that they will be depended on pre-requisites that will be undertaken such as investor demand analysis, provision of infrastructure, development of a regulatory framework and establishment of a regulatory authority.
He said the regulatory framework for special economic zones would include special legislation relating to labour, immigration, taxation and customs.
Mr Moroka said the establishment of free zones will take much longer than had been anticipated due to the need to review related laws.
He added that there are also substantial financial and human resource implications as well as the lack of expertise in the development and management of special economic zones.
On other issues, Mr Moroka said the Botswana Brand Management Organisation (BBMO) has been approved to manage the country's brand. He said the board of directors of the organisation will be fully operational during 2009 and that the recruitment of the CEO is ongoing.
On international commerce issues, Mr Moroka said the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (IEPA) that was initialised in 2007 will be signed during the course of 2009.
He said the agreement replaces the goods chapter of the Cotonou Agreement that expired in December 2007.
The minister noted that the new agreement will ensure unhindered market access for Botswana's products to the European Union.
He said pursuant to the commitments made under the IEPA, Botswana and other SADC IEPA member states who initialised the interim IEPA have started negotiations on trade in services and investment that will lead towards a full agreement.
He said the negotiations are expected to be concluded in three years.
"I am also happy to announce that together with other SACU member states, we concluded and signed the SACU-US Trade and Investment Cooperation Agreement (TIDCA) in July 2008. BOPA