The President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi has urged SADC to take advantage of Public Private Partnerships to further boost development financing in the SADC region.
Speaking at the official opening of the 38th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government, Masisi noted that he was aware that the SADC region is grappling with financial constraints and impediments to resource mobilization.
“I am informed that work is ongoing to develop a resource mobilization framework as well as other initiatives such as the creation of a fund to bridge the resource gap. It is for this reason that we must strengthen collaboration with regional and global development financing institutions, to fast-track infrastructure development in the region,” he said.
Botswana is undertaking several infrastructure projects which have a regional dimension. This includes the construction of the Kazungula Bridge in collaboration with the Republic of Zambia, which will connect Botswana to the northern part of the SADC region; the Nata – Pandamatenga road and the Palapye-Martins Drift Road that connects Botswana to South Africa.
Other future projects include the expansion of the Morupule Power Plant; as well as the Mosetse-Kazungula railway line for the transportation of goods to the northern part of the SADC region.