BITC’s Executive Director-Investment Promotion, Ms Reitumetse Aphiri,
For the 8th year running, Botswana Investment Trade Centre (BITC) will be hosting the Global Expo Botswana from the 20th to 23rd November 2013 at Fairground Holdings. In order to increase brand awareness, the 2013 Global Expo Botswana has embarked on a road show that saw Global Expo Botswana leaving a footprint in Selebi Phikwe on Thursday 10th October 2013 and Francistown on Friday 11th October 2013.
Global Expo Botswana is the country’s premier international business to business exhibition which is multi-sectoral in focus. The Expo is endorsed by the Government of the Republic of Botswana through the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The road shows were targeted at the general public through mall activations during the day and the business community through business forums in both locations. In attendance at the Selebi Phikwe business forum was the Deputy Town Mayor, representatives from SPEDU, the Town Council and members of the business community. The Francistown business community also came out in their numbers and the area’s Councilor, Honourable Ford Moiteela, who welcomed the participants to the forum.
BITC’s Executive Director-Investment Promotion, Ms Reitumetse Aphiri, explained why the roadshows in the form of business forums at strategic locations were initiated; “We found it important to host these forums, as this affords us, BITC, an opportunity to share with the business community in other parts of the country, the specific business-to-business platforms that BITC has created for them to take advantage of, such as, Global Expo Botswana. We have created this as an opportunity for businesses to engage on a one on one with their counterparts from foreign countries.” This year, Global Expo Botswana will attract companies from as far Brazil, Japan, Belgium, Italy, France, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Zimbabwe, Zambia, to name but a few.
The Global Expo Botswana Roadshow will also take place in Lobatse and end in Gaborone in the next few weeks. Underpinning the road show is the promotion of Botswana businesses and exports to different companies and countries and creating a meeting place for businesses to find other businesses with each to effectively create strategic and long lasting relationships.
Concluded Ms Aphiri, “A forum of this nature is a step forward towards advocating for partnerships with our visitors from the developed world. To the business communities, this is therefore an opportune time to put forward your business interests.. We are excited by the country’s business prospects and we look forward to seeing you at the 2013 Global Expo Botswana”.