Botswana

Nestled among South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia, Botswana’s strategic location in southern Africa positions it as an essential transit and trade conduit for the region. Botswana’s political stability and governance standards, along with it fiscal discipline, a well-capitalized banking system and an independent judiciary, place it among the top countries in sub-Saharan Africa for the quality of its business environment.  With a sparse population of less than 3 million people inhabiting a vast landmass, Botswana also boasts some of Africa’s largest wilderness areas, making safari-based tourism another significant source of income.

Despite these strengths, Botswana’s economy remains heavily reliant on diamond sales, which contribute nearly 90% of its foreign exchange earnings, leaving the country vulnerable to shifts in global consumer spending. The government’s efforts to diversify the economy and enhance private-sector opportunities have yielded uneven results. Additional challenges include a small domestic market, inadequate infrastructure, significant inequality, and high unemployment rates.