10 November, 2005
Botswana IFSC Short-listed for the 2005 Africa Investor Awards

Botswana IFSC has been short-listed in the Smart Regulation category of the 2005 Africa Investor Awards.

Touted as Africa ’s Business Oscars, the annual Africa Investor Awards are given to salute and reward a wide range of companies, governments, NGOs and individuals who have had a significant impact on Africa ’s development through private sector development and attracting foreign direct investment. The awards attract market leaders from across Africa and present a great opportunity for business people and organisations to gain recognition for their achievements amongst peers and clients. Held annually, the awards were first held in 2004 in Senegal.

This year the winners will be announced on Monday 21st November in Johannesburg . The award-giving ceremony will take place on the evening of the Economist Conferences’ Fourth Business Roundtable with the Government of South Africa.

Others in the Smart Regulation category are UNCTAD – Blue Books, Commission for Africa – Investment Climate Facility and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The criteria used for short-listing companies in the Smart Regulation category and how it relates to Botswana IFSC entry are:

1. Inclusion of measures to adopt smart regulation in poverty reduction and economic growth policies - creation of a "trading zone" to encourage business into and within Botswana
2. Commitment to building capacity within a government or business community to promote and implement an improved regulatory environment - commitment to SME development through the work of Enterprise Banking, which is an IFSC accredited bank operating in the SME sector in various African countries.
3. Degree to which there has been activity – internally or externally – to raise awareness of the importance of smart regulation - ongoing promotional activities and conferences and consultation programmes with local business and government.
4. Promotion of private sector views in the development of policy and a dialogue between government and business - ongoing dialogue with the Botswana tax authorities to find policies to incentivise business through improved tax regimes
5. Examples of how programmes have been implemented and the measures of success which have been seen - Enterprise Banking and its external activities

Companies and individuals who won last year include: Barclays Africa, Sir Richard Branson (Virgin), the Shell Foundation, Diageo Africa, Standard Bank, Pfizer, Actis, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim (Celtel), Dr Konji Sebati, (Pfizer),Tanzania Investment Centre, APIX Senegal, Bannock Consulting / Entebbe Municipality, Municipal Infrastructure Investment Unit (South Africa).

Some of the companies and individuals who have reached the finals this year are Celtel, Unilever, PricewaterhouseCoopers, European Investment Bank - Berg Water Project, Tanzania Investment Centre, GlaxoSmithKline, Standard Chartered Group, Chevron - Nigeria, Eskom, Barclays, Nedbank, Microsoft -Pathfinder Programme, BAT Nigeria Foundation, Virgin Nigeria, Nestle, Oracle, Suzanne Ravenell, CEO, Beyond Outsourcing, Gugu Moloi, CEO, Umgeni Water, Dr Ndi Okereke Oniyude, CEO, Nigeria Stock Exchange and Dr Runa N Alam, President and CEO, Kingdom Zephyr Africa Management.

This year’s categories are:

• Best Initiative in Support of the Millennium Development Goals
• Smart Regulation Award
• Infrastructure Deal of the Year
• Financial Consultancy of the Year
• Venture Capital Deal of the Year
• Privatisation Programme of the Year
• Investment Promotion Agency of the Year
• Sustainable Investment in Africa Award
• Best Initiative in Support of SME Development
• Business Report Award
• Bank of the Year
• Employer of the Year
• Businesswoman of the Year
• African Business Leader
• International Business Leader

Some of the sponsors and supporters of this year’s awards include The Coca-Cola Company, Virgin Atlantic, British American Tobacco, MTN and African Venture Capital Association.