Week 7 - Riley Frederking

            Botswana, once considered one of the poorest countries in the world, has managed to establish considerable and impressive economic growth fueled by natural resources and smart governance. The government has made a concentrated effort to repurposed the incoming wealth into domestic assets and public goods such as “infrastructure, health, and human capital” (Lewin 86). Unlike many other countries, Botswana has not sacrificed politics or policies in their pursuit of “good economics” and national wealth. Instead, Botswana has “fostered the conditions of governance that have ensured stability and social and economic progress” making it one of the few African countries to avoid many common pitfalls of commodity booms that “characterize many mineral-based economies” (Lewin 82, 86). Unfortunately for Botswana, diamond production is finite and productivity is expected to dwindle within the next couple decades. However, Botswana has increasingly “become one of the key tourism destinations for international tourists due to the incredibly “rich wildlife diversity and scenic beauty” in Southern Africa which could possibly provide alternate resources for the nation long-term (Mbaiwa 3). It will be interesting in the next few years to see if Botswana is able to diversify and expand the sustainability of their economy, I think it is safe to say they have the grit, determination, and ability to do so.

“Brand Botswana.” Go Botswana, Botswana Trade and Investment Centre. Digital Image. 4 Nov. 2017.

Kamrany, Nake M., and Jennifer Gray. “Botswana: An African Model for Progress and Prosperity.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 28 Nov. 2012. 4 Nov. 2017.

Lewin, Michael. “Botswana’s Success: Good Governance, Good Policies, and Good Luck.” Pp. 81-90.

Mbaiwa, Joseph E. “Poverty or Riches: Who Benefits from the Booming Tourism Industry in Botswana?” Journal of Contemporary African Studies, vol. 35, no. 1, 2017, pp. 93–112.

Serikbayeva, Assel. “Botswana: an African Success Story.” African Politics and Policy, 21 June 2017