Ambassador Paul Malin   A massive continental operation for arresting HIV/AIDS spread BPC sells stake to a French company Road development affects sales Hospitality organisations urge to train e-skills Diversification tops national agenda Modern infrastructure national priority Celebrating 100 years of economic beneficiation Sparkling hospitality industry return to Harare Government’s new Acts and policies welcomed Snail pace for SADC financial integration

The European Union announces an increase of €10.5 million (BWP 105 million) in its aid to Botswana on the occasion of the signing of the two agreements for €65 million (BWP 650 million).

The EU top up of about 15% of the aid envelope for Botswana was confirmed on the 11^th of December 2009.

Today, (the 4^th of February) the Minister of Finance, Honourable Kenneth Matambo and the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Botswana, Ambassador Paul Malin, signed two financing agreements for the amount of €65 million (BWP 650 million) to be provided as grant aid for human resource development.

The first agreement for €60 million (BWP 600 million) supports the Government budget to assist Botswana in producing an adequate supply of qualified, productive, healthy and competitive human resources.

It focuses on relevance, access, quality, equity and efficient management of the education sector.

It also supports HIV/AIDS prevention.

The second agreement of €5 million (BWP 50 million) complements the first agreement through a support project providing technical assistance requested by Government in key fields of education, employment, public finance management and other governance issues.

The two interventions that are being financed in 2010 are consistent with the goal of the Joint Country Strategy Paper (2007-2013) on development co-operation between the European Union and Botswana which is poverty reduction through economic growth ensuring that the benefits of education lead to employment and supporting an effective response strategy by the Government to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

In this way the European Union supports Botswana’s efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The EU works in Botswana in a few key areas, including education, economic diversification, governance, public finance management and support to non state actors.

Emphasis is placed on Government-driven technical assistance, financial assistance at macro-level including policy dialogue, and support at grass root level.

The €10.5 million (BWP 105 million) top up approved last December results from an assessment by the EU of Botswana’s losses in export earnings in 2008 due to falls in diamond sales.

The total allocation from the European Union Development Fund to support Botswana’s NDP 10 is now €83.5 million (BWP835 million).