National ICT policy review and e-commerce strategy for Botswana
At the request of the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry of Botswana, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) published a review of the information and communication technology (ICT) policy and national e-commerce strategy of Botswana. The review aims at improving Botswana’s strengths while addressing the bottlenecks and challenges that hinder the expansion of e-commerce in the country. To this aim, it identifies five strategic thrusts and recommendations for strengthening Botswana’s performance in key policy areas:
- Leveraging ICTs and e-commerce for business growth and private-sector development
- Promoting citizen empowerment and rural development through ICTs and e-commerce
- Powering the IT sector for e-commerce growth, including services
- Building a knowledge-based economy
- Eliminating non-tariff barriers to e-commerce
‘To support Botswana in achieving its Vision 2036, the eleventh National Development Plan (NDP 11), and the sustainable development goals (SDGs), the ICT Policy Review (ICTPR) e-commerce strategy model was expanded to take into account priority areas of Botswana’s development agenda, including growing the country’s export markets, private-sector development, citizen empowerment, job creation, productive capacity, global competitiveness, diversification and building a knowledge-based economy,’ highlighted UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Isabelle Durant.