Botswana: Strengthening capacity for sustained development : (A country profile in capacity building)

Abstract

The 1994 UNECA Conference of Ministers focused on building critical capacities in Africa for sustainable development. Botswana, selected for a case study, transitioned from poverty to prosperity post-independence due to diamond discoveries, becoming a middle-income nation. While its economy thrived on minerals and beef, challenges like economic diversification, skills shortages, and rural-urban disparities persist. Botswana has made significant strides in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, yet gaps in vocational training, high-level manpower, and agricultural resilience remain. Expatriate dependency in skilled sectors and uneven income distribution highlight systemic weaknesses. The report recommends investing in technical education, empowering indigenous entrepreneurship, revitalizing agriculture, and avoiding complacency from mineral wealth.