16 March 2026
The President of the African Development Bank Group, Sidi Ould Tah, has held a working meeting with the Vice-President of Botswana, Ndaba Gaolathe, at the bank’s headquarters in Abidjan to discuss strengthening development financing across Africa. Discussions focused on boosting the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), private sector-led industrialisation and innovative financing.
Gaolathe, who also serves as Botswana’s Minister of Finance and Governor of the African Development Bank Group, commended the strong partnership between his country and the institution and expressed support for the bank president’s strategic vision known as the Four Cardinal Points.
The discussions also focused on exploring ways to mobilise additional African philanthropic resources to support transformative development projects across the continent. Both leaders highlighted the importance of strengthening financial partnerships and mobilising new sources of capital to accelerate economic development and support large-scale initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods and infrastructure in African countries.
Key Details of the Meeting
- Focus Areas – The leaders discussed strengthening the partnership between Botswana and the bank to accelerate economic diversification and structural reforms.
- BETP Acceleration – Key discussions centred on extending technical support and capacity-building assistance for the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP)
- Strategic Initiatives – The talks explored innovative financing solutions to support national development priorities and a potential Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Industrialisation Fund.
- Alignment – Gaolathe expressed support for the AfDB President’s strategic “Four Cardinal Points” vision.
- Partnership – The meeting reinforced the long-term partnership between Botswana and the AfDB, which dates back to 1972.
This meeting builds on previous engagements, including a visit by a Bank Group delegation to Gaborone in April 2025.
Source: https://shorturl.at/BmcUh
*This article was enhanced with the help of AI
