The Project Finance Conference in Botswana was held during July 2022. The Project Finance Conference was organised by the Ministry of Finance, in partnership with the World Bank. 

Project Finance Conference 2022

The Project Finance Conference provided an opportunity for all PPP stakeholders to better understand what the Botswana government needs to bring to the table to unlock the potential of PPP and other innovative forms of financing in Botswana. Peggy O. Serame, Minister of Finance for Botswana outlined these priorities in his opening remarks for the Project Finance Conference on 6 July 2022. 

Botswana financing priorities

At the Project Finance Conference-  the first of its kind on project finance – the Finance Minister made some interesting points about the country’s infrastructure sector and public-private partnership financing in general. Highlighting these priorities, the Minister of Finance spoke about Botswana’s progress, government revenue, and financing options. 

Botswana financing objectives

During the Minister of Finance’s opening remarks, the following key points were highlighted: 

• Over the past decade, Botswana has invested 108 billion Pula (about $8.5 billion) in public infrastructure. 95% of this was financed directly by the government from its budget and the rest by project loans and donors.
• Government revenue is on the decline, as the cost of diamond production increases. The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine are slowing the recovery process. There is a need to increase private sector participation through PPPs and other means.
• Simple initiatives will be used, such as private sector participation in project finance loans, green bonds, or infrastructure bonds, or more complex initiatives, such as the private sector taking on much of the risk by financing everything for a project. 
• Last but not least, all project finance agreements in Botswana must pass Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) tests.

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