Tag: Botswana Trade Portal

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When moving goods cross-border, manage your risks with the Botswana Trade Portal

For companies in Botswana, the last two years have been a formidable test of operational resilience and risk management. 


Firms all throughout the country are still grappling with the immense difficulties ushered in by the pandemic, while at the same time balancing their need to deliver consistently good customer outcomes. 

‘If you are either importing or exporting, these pressures are particularly challenging,’ says Botswana Trade Portal Manager, Boipelo Baakanyang. 

‘The Trade Portal is here to help you navigate the risks of doing business in a continually shifting regulatory environment,’ she says. 

Baakanyang and her team, along with a long list of important stakeholders, are tasked with regularly updating the Trade Portal with all the relevant application forms, licences and permits necessary for cross-border trade. 

‘You can read up on all the latest laws, regulations, technical standards and procedures in one place. You’ll find it all easily searchable, available at the click of a button,’ says Baakanyang.

Quite simply, the Trade Portal helps you stay up to date with every letter of the law. 

She emphasises that staying up to date with new developments is the best insurance against regulatory infractions.

‘Robust compliance policies help you avoid penalties, control costs — and create a reliable supply chain for you and your clients,’ she says. 

‘What we have noticed is that many companies, especially the smaller ones, lack the personnel and expertise to monitor trade compliance. The Trade Portal eliminates any grey areas,’ explains Baakanyang.

While the rewards of global operations are substantial, so are the risks. 

‘Compliance failures delay shipments, disrupt operations, and negatively impact your bottom line. Having access to a single online resource mitigates risk is crucial when seeking long-term success in global markets,’ she concludes.

Your free membership to Botswana Trade Portal awaits you right here.

This is a free platform — and always will be. 

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As agribusiness grows, remember your membership to Botswana Trade Portal

As farmers in Botswana awake to a new dawn, Botswana Trade Portal is here to help you make bigger moves in agriculture.

As local farmers adapt to an all-new level of pressure and expectation, the big-picture benefits for the nation at large are clear.


In December last year, the Ministry of Agriculture announced an immediate ban on the importation of 16 different product categories.

Closing the border to a wide range of fresh produce has created some shortages — and indeed some tension. Consumers in Botswana are not accustomed to going without their favourite produce.

However, experts on the ground at the ministry of Agriculture believe that these are short-term effects. As local farmers adapt to an all-new level of pressure and expectation, the big-picture benefits for the nation at large are clear.

The new import bans (which will be reviewed in two years) give farmers the chance to prove themselves on a national stage — and confidence to bet on the future. To upscale their operations in an environment which is conducive to growth. 

Both rural and urban youth now have another avenue for wealth creation: pursuing lucrative ideas in specialised farming suddenly becomes a genuine career option.

Restricting certain imports also creates a sustainable boost to businesses which participate all throughout the agricultural value chain. These include fertilizers, seeds, tools, heavy equipment, irrigation, logistics, packaging — even banking and finance.

‘We encourage anyone who is a farmer, or indeed working in a farming-adjacent sector, to register on our platform,’ says Botswana Trade Portal Manager, Boipelo Baakanyang.

‘We will help you stay abreast of all the latest trade regulations, procedures, stakeholder announcements — and more,’ she says.

She emphasises that the Trade Portal is a free online service which is easy to navigate, and an essential resource for entrepreneurs, especially in agribusiness, who want to carve out a place in the market and make quick, confident decisions.

‘The Botswana Trade Portal will help you take advantage of this important window of opportunity,’ she says confidently.

To access the Botswana Trade Portal and become a member, simply click here. 

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Start your business stronger with Botswana Trade Portal

Take your first steps with confidence: the Botswana Trade Portal gives new entrepreneurs like you the support you need.

In Botswana, new entrepreneurs come into the ecosystem every day.


Special people like you, who have fresh ideas, endless passion and drive – and a clear vision for how you can add value to the marketplace. 

Sound familiar?

However, what you may lack is a partner who can help you bridge the gap between your dreams and reality.

‘The Botswana Trade Portal is designed to provide this essential companionship,’ says Botswana Trade Portal Manager, Boipelo Baakanyang. 

‘Here, you can download all your application forms, licences and permits necessary for cross-border trade. You can read up on all the latest laws, regulations, technical standards and procedures. You’ll find it all easily searchable, available at the click of a button,’ says Baakanyang.

‘And it’s all completely free,’ she emphasises. 

This centralised online resource brings together a wide variety of key stakeholders and Government authorities who will have a role to play in the long term development story of your business. 

‘Armed with the right knowledge, you can bring new goods to the local market, find the niche that’s perfect for you – and exploit emerging trends faster,’ she continues. 

‘If you plan to embark on an export-led growth strategy, the Botswana Trade Portal will help you lay out a step-by-step action plan that is designed to succeed in the real world,’ Baaknyang says.

Too many entrepreneurs die an early death because they simply don’t have access to the same information that their established rivals do. That ends now. The Botswana Trade Portal levels the playing field for early-stage companies. 

Many, well-established businesses of all shapes, sizes and industries are already taking advantage. If you are taking your first steps in business, it’s time for you to take your opportunity and sign up now.

It’s free. It always will be.

And you can activate your free membership today by clicking here.

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Make faster trade decisions with Botswana Trade Portal

In 2022, we are all embracing speed as an essential business skill.

Since the dawn of commerce, wealth has been attracted to people
who act with velocity and conviction.

Today, the ability to make quick decisions is becoming even more important. Speed and growth opportunities go hand-in-hand: in times like these, good ideas can quickly become a bad ones if executed too slowly. 

‘The COVID-19 pandemic has made importing and exporting much more challenging than normal for business owners in Botswana,’ says Botswana Trade Portal Manager, Boipelo Baakanyang.

‘Any company that imports stock or raw materials into Botswana must keep up with, anticipate and work around a new set of complexities and regulations that can (and often do) change overnight. The same applies to exporters,’ she explains further.

Welcome to the realities of cross-border trade in the pandemic era.

In 2022, it’s the speed fanatics who will grow the fastest. Entrepreneurs who understand the power of ‘now’ will surge ahead, over the horizon.

‘If you value speed as an essential competitive advantage, Botswana Trade Portal is available to answer any question you may have about moving your goods from one side of the border to another,’ says Baakanyang.

‘This initiative, spearheaded by the Botswana International Trade Centre, provides you with accurate, up-to-the-minute information that will enable you to make high quality business decisions in times of uncertainty.’

No more expensive, time-consuming mistakes and setbacks. 

Baakanyang and her team encourage businesses of all shapes and sizes to log in and reap the benefits. 

‘Seize the moment and accelerate the smooth movement of your goods with the Botswana Trade Portal,’ 

‘We want our clients to make quick decisions with confidence: this is not just about ensuring that your enterprise is compliant, it’s about making sure that you have an edge,’ she concludes.

Your membership is free and always will be.
Click here to get started.