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Botswana’s government is budgeting for the sale of national carrier Air Botswana (BP, Gaborone), according to a recent disclosure to the country's parliament by Transport Minister Eric Molale.

A budget has been put in place through the Transitional National Development Plan (TNDP) for the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, he said, which will ultimately result in the sale of the ailing airline, The Sunday Standard newspaper reported.

While the sale would not be immediate, Molale said the government, in the meantime, had directed that a strategic partner be sought for Air Botswana.

He reiterated that the national carrier was implementing a restructuring plan aimed at operational excellence, recovery, growth, and financial sustainability. “While the immediate plan is for the airline to get a strategic partner, these strategic objectives are still aligned with its privatisation agenda,” he said.

As part of its restructuring, the technically insolvent carrier has been looking at measures to become more efficient and competitive, including introducing new regional routes, maintaining international safety standards, and improving its on-time performance (OTP). It has...

Gaborone earmarks $12.7mn for Air Botswana's fleet

Air Botswana (BP, Gaborone) has been allocated BWP165.9 million pula (USD12.7 million) for the 2023/24 financial year for the "refurbishment" of the airline's fleet, reports Mmegi online, citing a note accompanying the draft estimate from the National Treasury.

"…Air Botswana finances need to be increased by BWP35 million (USD2.6 million) from BWP133.6 million (USD10.2 million) to BWP168.6 million to adequately cater for [the] refurbishment of Air Botswana's fleet," the note is cited. The planned funding was yet to be assessed and approved by legislators.

Air Botswana general manager Agnes Khunwana was not immediately available for comment.

The allocation to the airline was not specifically mentioned in the 2023 budget speech in Parliament on February 6 by Finance Minister Peggy Serame.

It reportedly falls under the Transitional National Development Plan, which runs from April 2023 to March 2025. The additional funds for the national carrier will come from the proposed budget for civil aviation infrastructure. In 2020, the state assisted Air Botswana with BWP100 million (USD7.6 million) to weather Covid-19-linked losses.

The airline...