PRESS RELEASES

Remarks by Ambassador Katherine H. Canavan;American Business Council Communication Seminar, May 31 2007.

MAY 30, 2007

Good morning.  I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the Botswana government officials, fellow members of the diplomatic community, business leaders, and everyone else in attendance here today.   I want to thank Kagiso Mmusi and the other members of the American Business Council for inviting me to address this morning’s ABC Communication Seminar.

 

 

Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the great work that the American Business Council is doing here in Botswana.  It always comes across better when someone outside the organization pays the compliments instead of Kagiso or Aubrey having to brag about the ABC themselves; and the ABC certainly deserves all the praise it receives for its efforts to spur opportunity and growth in Botswana.  For those that are not familiar with the ABC, the American Business Council is a non-profit association that was founded in Botswana in 1994.  Its objectives are to foster investment and strengthen commercial ties between the United States and the Republic of Botswana.  This morning’s Communication Seminar is just the latest example of this effort.  The U.S. Embassy is proud of its close and longstanding ties to the American Business Council.

 

 

I have been given the task in the event program of “setting the tone” and the tone is clearly one of great optimism, tremendous opportunity for growth, and a need for greater collaboration between entrepreneurs in the United States and Botswana.  In the 21^st century, communication technology is not only reshaping the world’s marketplace, it is bringing the world community closer together.  Not only can businesses in the U.S. and Botswana work faster and more efficiently together than ever before, the people of the United States and Botswana are coming closer and closer together.  Today, over one billion people worldwide have access to the internet.  The international telecommunications equipment market has reached over 10 trillion pula and is growing at approximately 10 percent each year.  At the last ABC seminar, the challenges of transportation in a land-locked country were looked at in great detail.  In terms of communication, Botswana is at the crossroads, at the nexus of the region’s communication networks.  Botswana is the country that connects the Southern African Development Community; it is a land of opportunity.  

 

 

Clearly, technology is reshaping the global landscape.  In the face of this new competitive marketplace we in government need to continue to remove legacy economic regulations that can stand as a barrier to continued innovation and investment.  In the United States, as in many places around the world, too many of our communications policies are rooted in decades past and legislation can not keep pace with the rate of technological change.  Government should not pick winners and losers.   Businesses should be rewarded for innovation and investment and consumers should have the freedom to choose the solutions that work best for them.  Botswana has competition in terms of internet providers and competition in the cellular phone market.  The government of Botswana is to be commended for its plans to further privatize the telecom industry but just as in the United States, we all know that more can be done and the market demands faster and faster results.  Just one example, many business leaders around the world rely on Blackberries for e-mail and communication, in fact many describe themselves as Blackberry addicts.  The Blackberry works in South Africa but does not work well in Botswana.  When potential investors and representatives from international corporations visit Botswana for the first time, they are struck by Botswana’s natural beauty, by the well-developed infrastructure, and the stable and business friendly environment- but they are also struck by the fact that their Blackberry does not work and that communication with their home office is still too difficult. 

 

 

I started off by stating that the tone of this event should be one of great optimism.  That is not to say that hurdles do not exist, but my optimism is based on looking around this room and having worked closely with Botswana’s business community; I know that the will and talent exist in Gaborone and throughout this country to ensure a bright future and that the communication sector is clearly a key to this success.  I thank the ABC for organizing this event and am looking forward to what is just as important as the wonderful speakers scheduled today, and that is networking, the opportunities that will be created by the communication that goes on at breaks, at lunch, and after the seminar by everyone gathered here.  The U.S. Embassy is an active part of that network, our Commercial Section looks forward to assisting businesses in Botswana trade and partner with corporations and investors throughout the United States.  We are here to help promote an environment in which the entrepreneur can flourish, in which minds can expand, and in which technologies can reach new frontiers.  Thank you and Pula!