Local Manufacturing Summit 2025
The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) participated at the Local Manufacturing Summit held on the 1st and 2nd September, 2025 at Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC). Organised by Botswana Chamber of Mines (BCM), this year’s summit was held under the theme, “shaping the Future of Botswana’s Manufacturing Sector: Exploring the Opportunities of Industrial Manufacturing & Agro Processing”
Among others, the summit was held to discuss and share ideas about current opportunities and challenges in the manufacturing sector and forecast future trends. The summit also served as a foundational block of the innovation flywheel, as Botswana aspires to build a vibrant export-oriented local manufacturing sector.
On her key note address, the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Honourable Bogolo Joy Kenewendo emphasised that the summit provide a platform to reaffirm Botswana’s commitment to building a more productive and self-reliant economy, that is underpinned by a competitive and well supported industrial base. The Minister stated that, overdependence on revenues from mineral exports, has constrained the broader economic development of Botswana. “While the mineral sector has made a significant contribution to our national progress, it is not enough alone to sustain future growth. And therefore this calls for us to work on diversification, both within mining and outside mining” she advised.
Reflecting on discussions from the previous summit, the BCM Chief Executive (CEO), Mr Charles Siwawa gave a progress update on some action plans, those including: establishing a centralised manufacturing data portal, showing information about the sector; launch an agro-industrial parks in Pitsane, Pandamantega, and Masunga, with the Ministry of Agriculture supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Private Investors tasked with operationalising these agro-processing hubs; BCM working with HRDC to identify the skills that are needed in the manufacturing sector; signing a memorandum of understanding between Air Botswana and BCM, to identify and utilise air transport networks for efficient distribution of manufactured goods within and outside Botswana.
HRDC consider the Local Manufacturing Summit as one of the strategic stakeholder engagement platforms, that could help identify and implement ways of diversifying Botswana’s economy from being dependent on mineral resource to be more manufacturing oriented. In this case, the Council continues to contribute towards the summit’s resolutions, by advising on future skills and jobs in the manufacturing sector.
HRDC supported the 2025 Local Manufacturing Summit by purchasing 20 delegates tickets for its employees, particularly those in the Internship and volunteering contracts, to participate at the 2 days’ summit. This was with the view to expose them to high level dialogues that can inspire, motivate and empower them to navigate through the employment and entrepreneurship landscapes.
