The steady hum of Botswana’s engines and the flicker of its city lights all depend on a constant, reliable flow of fuel. Yet, as March 2026 unfolds, a shadow from halfway across the world looms large over the nation’s oil supply. The Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) has issued a cautious yet reassuring message to the country: while current petroleum imports remain stable, the global geopolitical storm swirling in the Middle East threatens to unsettle...
The specter of a new Middle East conflict has cast a long shadow over global diplomacy, but recent developments have turned what might have been a united front into a transatlantic rift. At the center of this storm is none other than former U.S. President Donald Trump, whose blunt rejection of British involvement in the escalating Iran war has sparked a diplomatic spat that threatens to redefine the special relationship between Washington and London. Trump’s...
Oil prices surged over the past week, driven by escalating tensions between the United States and Iran that have roiled the global energy markets. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed to $67.02 per barrel, marking a weekly gain of 2.12%, while Brent crude touched $72.48, up 2.42% for the week. This spike, though not yet a dramatic surge, underscores the fragile balance of supply and demand amid a geopolitical powder keg in the Middle East....
Botswana has a blueprint for its economic journey, propelled by the ambitious Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), which promises to turn long-held aspirations into tangible progress. Naledi Madala, Senior Policy Advisor in the Ministry of Finance, recently underscored the significance of the BETP during a CEO Africa Roundtable breakfast seminar in Phakalane, framing it as the practical engine that will drive Vision 2036 into reality. Unlike the earlier Vision 2016, which was largely aspirational, Vision...
The latest Standard Bank Africa Trade Barometer (ATB) paints an optimistic picture of the continent’s trade landscape in 2026. For the first time since its 2022 inception, the ATB shows simultaneous improvements across all major trade-enabling infrastructure categories, power, telecommunications, roads, rails, ports, and digital border systems, in ten key African markets that together represent 68% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP. The report, which draws on firm-level surveys across Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South...
The government of Botswana stands on the brink of a pivotal fiscal shift. The Stock, Bonds and Treasury Bills (Amendment) Bill, 2026, set to be presented by Minister of Finance and Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe, aims to raise the ceiling on outstanding public debt and government-guaranteed debt to 60 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This move signals not only a recalibration of fiscal policy but also a strategic response to pressures mounting...
Botswana’s central bank has set the stage for what could be a pivotal year in the country’s economic journey by reaffirming an accommodative monetary policy stance for 2026. In a clear signal to markets and financial institutions alike, Governor Lesego Moseki underscored the Bank of Botswana’s (BoB) commitment to supporting economic activity by generally easing interest rates, provided inflation remains within a manageable range. This policy direction comes amid a cautiously optimistic economic outlook after...
Minister of State President Moeti Mohwasa’s recent outspoken critique of the previous Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) administration has thrust the issue of reckless public debt and its tangible consequences into the national spotlight. His pointed accusation that the BDP left behind a legacy of spiraling debt, particularly through the mismanagement of parastatals, has ignited fresh debate on the challenges facing Botswana’s new government under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). With over P1 billion already...
Tsodilo Resources, a Canadian mining company, has announced a breakthrough discovery that could reshape the global landscape for rare earth and critical minerals. Their find, located in the remote northwest of Botswana at the Gcwihaba Metals project, boasts a high-grade deposit containing all 15 rare earth elements listed as critical by the United States, along with copper, cobalt, nickel, vanadium, and silver. This discovery is a significant milestone for both Tsodilo and Botswana, positioning the...
A bold promise from Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Lesego Chombo; a promise not of mere rhetoric but of disciplined action designed to transform the lives of young people across the nation. Speaking on the 2026/2027 National Budget, Chombo framed the government’s financial blueprint as a lifeline, aimed squarely at tackling the stubborn challenge of youth unemployment and gender inequality through strategic investment and law-backed quotas. This is more than a budget; it is...
