GABORONE, June 5 — Botswanan President Duma Boko on Friday officiated the groundbreaking ceremony of the Botswana World Trade Center at Airport City near Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone, as a landmark development to position Botswana as a regional hub for trade, investment exhibitions and business tourism.
The multi-functional complex will include a business district, housing, hotels, retail outlets, public amenities, green infrastructure and smart city systems.
Delivering a keynote address at the ceremony, Boko underlined environmental responsibilities for the project, with an expected minimum 20 percent savings in energy, water and materials through measures such as energy-efficient design, rainwater collection and waste recycling.
“The project is not about building, it is about people, family and jobs. Its location reinforces this mission,” he said.
Botswana’s Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship Tiroeaone Ntsima said the project is a strategic national platform to position Botswana as a regional gateway for trade and investment, tying it to Botswana’s Vision 2036 and the economic transformation program.
The project is a joint development by an investment group of the United Arab Emirates and Botswana Development Corporation.
Airport City is a special economic zone that aligns with the Botswana government’s economic diversification agenda.(Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
