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Botswana

African Continental Free Trade Area: A pipe dream or silver bullet?
31-May-2021 Daily Maverick
Current realities are likely to counter the expectations that the AfCFTA is some kind of silver bullet that will transform Africa, sweeping away decades of embedded dysfunction and challenges.
Botswana launches revised AGOA strategy
7-May-2021 Daily News Botswana
The revised African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) National Response Strategy for Botswana remains one of the mechanisms towards economic diversification and SME sustainable development
Local firms not ready for AfCFTA
7-May-2021 Mmegi Online
Business Botswana (BB) is concerned that the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement, will not be fully exploited by local businesses.
Botswana’s relations with China continue to deepen
24-Mar-2021 China Daily
Diplomatic relations between China and Botswana have grown significantly this year, with the African nation becoming the 46th country on the continent to sign a memorandum of understanding on the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.
China, Botswana agree to promote ties to higher level
31-Aug-2018 CGTN
Speaking of the Belt and Road Initiative, China welcomes Botswana’s participation in and support to the infrastructure and trade framework.
Botswana signs tripartite free trade area agreement
1-Feb-2018 Xinhua
Botswana signed a tripartite free trade area agreement which marked a milestone in the trade agenda of the African Union.
EU wins the battle for reciprocal trade access in Africa
28-Sep-2016 EurActiv
The six African countries threatened with losing access to the European single market have finally agreed to sign the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). But the continent’s regional integration may suffer as a result. EurActiv France reports.
Brexit might trigger EPA revision
8-Aug-2016 Mmegi
The recent vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union might lead to the renegotiation of the recently signed Economic Partnership Agreement, creating uncertainty for Botswana
Brussels to end preferential trade access for uncooperative African countries
10-Jun-2016 EurActiv
The EU plans to raise the pressure on six African countries to implement controversial free trade agreements by putting an end to their preferential access to the EU market.
Southern Africa: Botswana - Angola may join free trade zone in 2017
14-Aug-2015 All Africa
Angola will join the Free Trade Zone of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in 2017, if the country takes the necessary steps
Botswana, EU discuss EPA negotiations progress
3-Jul-2015 APA
Botswana Minister of Trade and Industry Vincent Seretse has met with European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Mamstrom in Gaborone to discuss the finalisation of Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations between the EU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
SACU: Dead man walking?
28-Jan-2014 Trade Beat
Late last year, the African cyberspace was buzzing with rumours that the region’s oldest trade agreement, the Southern African Customs Union or SACU was about to be finally killed off by South Africa. From Windhoek to Cape Town to Mbabane, trade policy wonks were debating what the most recent moves from Pretoria regarding SACU really meant.
Botswana dodges a bullet in EPA talks
22-Sep-2012
Botswana has escaped the imposition of an amendment which would have charged higher duties on the country’s exports to the European Union after 2014 thereby dealing a deathblow to local sectors such as agriculture, minerals and manufacturing.
Zimbabwe: Mashakada decries ’infruitful’ Bippas
19-Mar-2012 The Herald
Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Minister Tapiwa Mashakada has decried the lack of positive outcomes from the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements Zimbabwe has signed with a number of countries.
Botswana stands to lose billions in SACU revenues
19-Nov-2011
The global economic crisis, along with other evolving structural factors within SACU, could cut a P5-billion permanent hole in revenues that Botswana receives from the customs union, the IMF estimates.
Is regional integration mere rhetoric?
4-Sep-2011
The song of Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional integration is sung so loudly that even the deaf can hear it. But my recent experience in Windhoek, Namibia tends to prove that the reality on the ground does not match the rhetoric.
Key deadline looms in EPA talks
9-Aug-2011 Mmegi Onlines
A market access regulation giving SADC states, including Botswana, duty and quota-free access to the European Union is expected to elapse soon, potentially squeezing the affected states out of the world’s biggest market for beef, minerals, textiles and other products.
More time needed for EPA talks - Motlhale
11-Aug-2010
Ahead of the August round of negotiations between the SADC EPA group and the EU, the Acting President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Parliamentary Assembly says the region should be afforded more time to reach a final decision on a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU.
National body to monitor flood of imports
8-Aug-2010
The Ministry of Trade and Industry is in the process of establishing a national body under the 2002 Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Agreement.
Botswana in fragile balancing act at EPA talks
20-Jun-2010
Botswana has emerged as the dealmaker in the contentious Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations aimed at finding middle ground between the European Union on one side and South Africa, Namibia and Angola on the other.