Our Representations As The Association:

OAPS Business Forum : BEMA has been appointed by the Government of the Republic of Botswana through the Ministry of International Affairs and Cooperation to represent the Private Sector in the newly formed Organisation of African Carrabin and Pacific States (OACPS) Business Forum. The forum exists to provide the public-private sector with a platform to share lessons and experiences, capacity building initiatives, key areas of private sector support based on national, regional and all-OACPS experiences including the implementation of OACPS-EU trade arrangements, with special emphasis on the Economic Partnership Agreements and the role that private sector should play in them. Furthermore, the Business Forum as well identifies opportunities and challenges for the private sector in the OACPS-EU Post-Continuo Partnership Agreement (PCPA ). BEMA Chief Executive Officer serves as the current President of the OACPS Business Forum  supported by five (5) vice presidents from other OACPS regions.

 AGOA : The Botswana Exporters & Manufacturers Association Co-Chairs the AGOA reference group under the Ministry of Investment Trade & Industry. The committee works on assisting Botswana manufacturers to make full use of the AGOA opportunities. AGOA is a preferential trade agreement between the US and African countries with over six thousand product lines. Our role essentially is to assist the local manufacturing and exporting community tap into the US market which is duty free and host a plethora of other benefits.

TCMA : BEMA represents the sector at a government platform called the Technical Committee on Market Access. This platform exists essentially to tackle market related issues that the sector is faced with, issues related to non-tariff barriers, pricing, competition etc. In a trading area where such market issues are not addressed or failed to be resolved tactfully, the burdens are felt by companies and reflected on their financial statements.

SACU : BEMA serves as private sector representatives at the SACU Senior Experts on Industrialisation, exports and Investment Committee. Through this committee the Association is able to learn best practice standards from other member states, as well as ensure that the private sector is poised to work in tandem with the government to align our industrialisation policy with the rest of the region. BEMA also chairs the  SACU TWG-Boarder Coordination Committee.

AfCFTA : The association serves as national focal points of the AfCFTA online NTB reporting mechanism tool .  This tool is meant to facilitate our efforts in solving cross-border trade barriers in a more efficient and effective manner. In an instance where an exporter from Botswana is facing a challenge in getting their goods across the border, we would be able to instantaneously mediate in the issue through notifying the nation of the other trading party.