The Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) has extended an invite to local investors to consider investing in Lesotho’s poultry industry. Speaking at the Botswana, Lesotho Business Forum held this week, LNDC Chief Executive Officer, Thabo Khasipe said Lesotho poultry import bill is worth about US$40 million a year.
“Poultry is a great potential for investment area in Lesotho. It's guaranteed. Come, you open a poultry business in partnership with Basotho. We are looking for partners,” said Khasipe. Bolstering the call for investors, Khasipe said Lesotho is a free enterprise and free market economy system and investor-friendly market economy environment. “We currently have improved a lot in terms of our fiscal stance,” said Khasipe citing the country is fortifying the resilience of the economy and ready-to-build integrated process.
He added the country’s utilities present a very strong case for investment, as the country has a stable water and power supply. Apart from showcasing the potential investment opportunities found in Lesotho’s economy, Khasipe called on the private sector in Botswana and Lesotho to structure vehicles that would mobilise private multilateral capital and development capital into investment vehicles, such as private equity, in order to deploy capital into investment opportunities found in the two countries.
“Let us think about Botswana beef going to Lesotho to add value there. Let's think about Lesotho water coming to Botswana,” he said. Citing that the two countries have a challenge with grains, Khasipe implored for collaboration to close the gaps. “We have similar challenges. We have too much imports of grains from as far afield as Russia, when in fact we could work together and try and leverage. It requires us to deploy the capital that is abundant in the region,” said Khasipe, adding the two countries are looking for bankable, shovel-ready projects. Khasipe bemoaned the private sector of two countries often talk about concepts and not shovel-ready projects that have been assessed and really ready for taking into execution.
“So we are therefore talking about the need for collaboration to raise capital to deploy into this project,” said Khasipe addressing the forum. Commenting on the business forum, Botswana Investment Trade Centre’s (BITC), Board Chairperson, Gomolemo Madikgetla said the platform is critical in providing solutions to mitigate the effects of rising inflation, shortage of critical commodities such as fertilizer, medicine and threats to the safety of movement of business persons. “Across Africa, we continue to pursue deeper economic integration, increased intra-Africa trade and sustainable partnerships that unlock inclusive growth and shared prosperity for our people.
“This business forum is essential in strengthening commercial relations, facilitating investment and trade opportunities as well as fostering meaningful collaboration between our two economies,” said Madikgetla.
“Poultry is a great potential for investment area in Lesotho. It's guaranteed. Come, you open a poultry business in partnership with Basotho. We are looking for partners,” said Khasipe. Bolstering the call for investors, Khasipe said Lesotho is a free enterprise and free market economy system and investor-friendly market economy environment. “We currently have improved a lot in terms of our fiscal stance,” said Khasipe citing the country is fortifying the resilience of the economy and ready-to-build integrated process.
He added the country’s utilities present a very strong case for investment, as the country has a stable water and power supply. Apart from showcasing the potential investment opportunities found in Lesotho’s economy, Khasipe called on the private sector in Botswana and Lesotho to structure vehicles that would mobilise private multilateral capital and development capital into investment vehicles, such as private equity, in order to deploy capital into investment opportunities found in the two countries.
“Let us think about Botswana beef going to Lesotho to add value there. Let's think about Lesotho water coming to Botswana,” he said. Citing that the two countries have a challenge with grains, Khasipe implored for collaboration to close the gaps. “We have similar challenges. We have too much imports of grains from as far afield as Russia, when in fact we could work together and try and leverage. It requires us to deploy the capital that is abundant in the region,” said Khasipe, adding the two countries are looking for bankable, shovel-ready projects. Khasipe bemoaned the private sector of two countries often talk about concepts and not shovel-ready projects that have been assessed and really ready for taking into execution.
“So we are therefore talking about the need for collaboration to raise capital to deploy into this project,” said Khasipe addressing the forum. Commenting on the business forum, Botswana Investment Trade Centre’s (BITC), Board Chairperson, Gomolemo Madikgetla said the platform is critical in providing solutions to mitigate the effects of rising inflation, shortage of critical commodities such as fertilizer, medicine and threats to the safety of movement of business persons. “Across Africa, we continue to pursue deeper economic integration, increased intra-Africa trade and sustainable partnerships that unlock inclusive growth and shared prosperity for our people.
“This business forum is essential in strengthening commercial relations, facilitating investment and trade opportunities as well as fostering meaningful collaboration between our two economies,” said Madikgetla.
