Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.9 percent in the twelve months to June 2019, compared to a faster expansion of 4.9 percent in the corresponding period in 2018, the central bank informed reporters on Thursday.
Bank of Botswana Governor, Moses Pelaelo said the lower increase in output is mainly attributable to a deceleration in growth of the mining sector.
“Growth in non-mining GDP also slowed in the review period. Mining output grew by 1.4 percent in the year to June 2019, compared to an increase of 5.6 percent in the corresponding period in 2018,” he said.
According to Pelaelo, the lower increase is, in the main, due to the significant reduction in growth of the diamond output from 11.8 percent to 1 percent in the review period.
“The decrease in diamond output is mainly due to the decline in production by Orapa Mine (owned by De Beers and Government of Botswana), following a planned plant shutdown in April 2019,” said Pelaelo.
KO/as/APA