We lead the pack in poverty reduction – Mogae

8 November, 2007 in Botswana

source: Mmegi
BRIAN BENZA
STAFF WRITER

Poverty levels are expected to fall to an all time low of 23 percent by 2009 on the back of continued economic growth which has earned Botswana rave reviews as Africa’s leader in poverty reduction, President Festus Mogae said in Parliament.

In his State of the Nation address on Monday, Mogae stated that economic growth, which averaged nine percent during the country’s first four decades and now hovers around four percent, has pulled down poverty levels from as high as almost 60 percent two decades ago.

“Continued economic growth has contributed to a steady reduction in poverty from 59 percent in 1986 to 47 percent in 1994 to our latest figure of 30 percent,” President Mogae said.

“Our progress has earned us the accolade of [continue reading]