BIDPA Ranked Top Think Tank in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis has attained a special milestone as a research Institute, having been ranked the top think tank in Sub-Saharan Africa by the latest Global Think Tank Index. The 2017 TTCSP Global Go To Think Tank Index ranks BIDPA number one among think tanks in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, and 42nd on the list of Top Think Tanks Globally (US institutions excepted). It has been an exciting journey for BIDPA as the Institute has managed to sustain a steady, but upward trajectory in terms of these rankings. BIDPA ranked 29^th in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2011, but the institute moved to the 12^th spot in 2012, 10^th spot in 2013, 5^th spot in 2014, 4^th spot in 2015, 3^rd spot in 2016 and the Institute now occupies the top spot in the latest index.

The TTCSP (Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program) produces the annual Global Go To Think Tank Index that ranks the world’s leading think tanks in a variety of categories. The goal of the program is to increase the profile and performance of think tanks and raise the public awareness of the important role think tanks play in governments and civil societies around the globe.

Technology and the Nature of Active Citizenship: The case of Botswana

The use of technology in citizen participation has grown phenomenally in developed countries, but is emergent in most developing countries. Accessibility and the functionality of information and communication technology such as telephone, cellular phone and internet have profound effect on citizen participation in politics, policy making and implementation. This study applies a case study methodology to understand the relationship between technology and the nature of active citizen participation in developing countries, using Botswana as a case example. The penetration and use of the information and communication technologies in politics and the policy-making process in Botswana remains low. Botswana first laid in place the policy, legal and institutional frameworks to guide its development of ICTs in her governance system. The country has since made significant gains on providing ICT infrastructure countrywide, and reducing the costs associated with accessing these where available. The country has registered improvements on all indicators on Technological readiness further strengthening the country’s path on the adoption ICTs in its governance process.The findings suggest that countries should take the responsibility for, and be committed to, creating a conducive environment for the ICT industry to thrive while not losing focus of the ultimate objective of citizen participation. The paper is accessible here.

Review of Bank Charges in Botswana

This BIDPA  Briefing assesses the cost of banking in Botswana. It presents a range of comparative costs across Botswana's commercial banks in 2014. This exercise involved examining a basic current/cheque account and the charges imposed by the commercial banks. Comparison is also made of selected bank charges on which information was obtainable between banks in Botswana and those in South Africa, Namibia and Mauritius. The Special Briefing can be accesses here.

Enhancing Public Budget Transparency in Botswana: Why and how?

The BIDPA Policy Brief No. 10, authored by Dr Gape Kaboyakgosi - Research Fellow at the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis. This policy brief discusses the need to make Botswana’s budget process more transparent. The objective of the brief is to advocate for the opening up of Botswana’s budgetary process.

Transparent or open budgets both facilitate and support timely, relevant public access to budget information, enhancing citizen participation in the budgetary process. Transparent budgets also strengthen the role and independence of oversight institutions such as Parliament and the Office of the Auditor General - in order to engender budgetary accountability. Click here to read the full report, including recommendations on how the country could improve tranparency on budgetary processes.

Electoral Spending Cycles in Dictatorships

Paper by Joseph Wright, Department of Political Science, The Pennsylvania State University. The paper discusses issues around manipulation of the economy by authoritarian leaders around election time. Evidence from case studies suggests the presence electoral budget cycles in hegemonic dictatorships. However, it is not know if electoral budget cycles exist in other dictatorships. After providing global evidence for an electoral spending cycle, the paper explores one explanation for electoral fiscal manipulation in dictatorships. To deter investment in the opposition, dictators have an incentive toincrease spending in election years. Click here to access the full paper.

 

Global Competitiveness Report 2011 – 2012

The report, is prepared on an annual basis by the World Economic Forum, and includes the Global Competitiveness Index that provides an important basis for comparison of the competitive strengths and weaknesses of more than 140 countries worldwide. In the current edition of the report Botswana falls four places to 80th rank. In the 2008 rankings, Botswana attained a modest improvement of 56 out of 134 countries, but  since then the country has experienced an overall decline in rankings. Click here to access the report. You may also access the Bank of Botswana Governor's speech at the launch of the report by clicking here.

World Investment Report 2011

The report shows that Global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows rose moderately to $1.24 trillion in 2010, but were still 15 per cent below their pre-crisis average. This is in contrast to global industrial output and trade, which were back to pre-crisis levels. UNCTAD estimates that global FDI will recover to its pre-crisis level in 2011, increasing to $1.4–1.6 trillion, and approach its 2007 peak in 2013. This positive scenario holds, barring any unexpected global economic shocks that may arise from a number of risk factors still in play. Click here to access the full report.

Africa Capacity Indicators 2011

The inaugural edition of the African Capacity Building Foundation's annual Africa Capacity Indicators Report. The Report introduces a unique and unprecedented series of data on the state of capacity in Africa. It also examines key issues and challenges confronting in-country and cross-border capacity development. The ACIR will serve as a major diagnostic tool and guide the development of priority actions by providing practical insights and recommendations where necessary. Click here to access the report.

Survival analysis of SMMEs in Botswana

A dissertation by Bame Joshua Mannathoko, Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

The study investigates the factors influencing survival of micro enterprises funded by the Department of Youth in Botswana. Data drawn from 271 business ventures established between the years 2005 and 2009 was analysed by using the Cox proportional hazards model (CPHM), a survival analysis technique. Results from the analysis suggest that businesses operated by younger owners endure a higher risk of failure in comparison to businesses owned by older entrepreneurs while firm size at start-up was also a significant determinant of survival. Click here to access the full report.

Botswana: Assessing Risks to Stability (June 2011)

The report, Botswana: Assessing Risks to Stability, is part of a series examining the risks of instability in 10 African countries over the next decade: The report was produced by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and authored by David W. Throup.  The project was commissioned by the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), and the countries covered are Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan and Uganda. Highlights from the Botswana report include:

• Botswana's economy remains highly dependent on diamond revenues, and repeated efforts to create alternative types of economic growth and job creation have failed
• Botswana's vulnerability as a result of dependence on regional dynamics
• Possible change in the political balance of power in the next decade

Click here to read the full Botswana report.

Towards a developmental SACU

Mmegi newspaper article by Professor Roman Grynberg (29/07/11).

Last month the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) had what newspapers in Gaborone called a 'near death experience' when members agreed to reject a SACU raeport and start afresh to look at the controversial revenue sharing formula (RSF).

Had the Australian consultant's report been accepted it would have seen a massive re-distribution of customs revenue away from Botswana Namibia and Swaziland to South Africa. Click here to read to full article.

Govt targets P38bn budget ceiling

Mmegi Newspaper article by Brian Benza (29/07/11).

Botswana Government has set a budget ceiling of P38.575 billion for next year, a year in which it intends to balance its books and thereafter ensure medium to long-term fiscal sustainability.

According to a draft 2012/13 national Budget Strategy Paper (BSP), government forecasts to collect P38.575 billion in revenues and grants in the next fiscal year, a 9.9 percent increase on this year's budget. Click here to access the full article.

BIUST taskforce tells Gov’t to go ahead with project

A Sunday Standard Newspaper article by Oliver Modise (31/07/11). A task force appointed by the Minister of Education to review and advise Government on the efficacy of the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) has recommended for the University project to continue. Click here to read the full article.

Second quarter GDP (Botswana) seen weakening

An article published by the Sunday Standard Newspaper (Botswana), 25th July 2011. The article reports that Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to weaken in second quarter of the year as effects of the suspended public sector strike filter into the economy. This observation is based on the Quarterly Economic Bulletin released by Motswedi Securities, a local stockbroking firm. Click here to access the article or here to access the bulletin.

The SADC Region and EPA/EBAI - Trade Balance Analysis

The paper investigates the potential trade balance outcomes of the EPA/EBAI policies in the SADC region using the GTAP7 model and database. The analysis of these policies therefore makes conclusions on SADC member states' changes in trade balance overall, per commudity's groups and on overall welfare outcomes as a result of these poicies. The study found that although the EPA/EBAI initiative policies will potentially result in overall welfare gain in the SADC region this welfare gain will only be 6% of the EU27. Click here to access the full report.

SACU averts near collapse

An article published by the Mmegi Newspaper (Botswana), 5th July 2011. The article posits that had the recommendations of an Australian consultant - which would have cost Botswana and two other SACU states billions of Pula in annual revenue - been passed, the century old customs union is likely to have collapsed, that is, according to senior officials. Click here to read more.

World Economic Outlook Update: Mild Slowdown of the Global Expansion, and Increasing Risks

The IMF June 2011 World Economic Outlook Update shows that activity is slowing down temporarily, and downside risks have increased again. The global expansion remains unbalanced. Growth in many advanced economies is still weak, considering the depth of the recession. In addition, the mild slowdown observed in the second quarter of 2011 is not reassuring. Growth in most emerging and developing economies continues to be strong. Overall, the global economy expanded at an annualized rate of 4.3 percent in the first quarter, and forecasts for 2011–12 are broadly unchanged, with offsetting changes across various economies. Click here for more..

Implementing the APRM: Views From Civil Society - South Africa Report (June 2011)

This report was published by the South african Institute for International Affairs (SAIIA) and reflects the views of civil society researchers and activists convened by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) on the implementaion of the APRM in South Africa. It takes as supplementary reference points South Africa's Implementation Reports (SAIRs). The report intends to complement the two SAIRs by providing evidence based feedback on how the issues in the Country Review Report have been addressed since 2007. Click here for the full report.

Growth and Macroeconomic Convergence in Southern Africa

This African Developement Bank Working Paper No 130 (June 2011) investigates convergence in real per capita GDP and macroeconomic policy and stability indicators within the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). Empirical tests for the period 1992-2009 showed no evidence of absolute beta and sigma convergence in real per capita GDP among the SADC economies. Although absence of convergence does not necessarily imply lack of economic growth, further empirical assessment of possible conditional beta convergence did not reveal any tendency of convergence to own steady states. The tests indicated that Botswana and South Africa's real per capita GDP converged to a common stochastic trend while the rest were characterised by a boundless drift. Click here for the full paper.

Botswana's Success: Good Governance, Good Policies, Good Luck

Over the past 60 years Botswana's economy has been recorded as one of the most succesful in the world. The country's achievement is remarkable because at independence, in 1966, its prospects were not that encouraging. Although the country is landlocked, it has defied the odds by creating a succesful economy. Click here to access this book chapter.

Source: Yes, Africa Can: Success Stories From a Dynamic Continent; Edited by Punam Chuhan-Pole and Manka Angwafo, and published by the World Bank, Washington DC, 2011. The full publication is available  here.