Gaborone — The Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative could benefit significantly from the upcoming 7th African Venture Capital Association (AVCA) conference that will be hosted by Botswana in just under two weeks.

Speaking at a press conference at the IFSC yesterday, AVCA Managing Director Mawuli Ababio said members of the association, who include international investors and fund managers, are beginning to focus their investment in infrastructure development. "In the past few years, many equity funds and investment into the African continent have been channeled to infrastructure development," Ababio said. "This country is going to need partnerships in areas like expansion of airports and roads." Lesego Selotate, an Investment Associate at VPB, said the time had come for African money to be used to develop Africa.

"About 70 percent of our funds are flowing to other directions," Selotate said. "We want it to come back." He noted that while Botswana's fund managers had largely put their funds into offshore assets, the trend was changing, especially with the introduction of PPP. Selotate said PPPs were taking hold, citing Bifm, which has partnered with other consortia for the construction of the new SADC headquarters, as a good example."If you look at our capital flows, there is a lot of liquidity chasing little assets. But it's encouraging because the trend is changing. BPOPF (the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund) has allocated more money to this asset class, and we need to create a home for this money locally," he said.

BPOPF last year allocated 5 percent of its funds totaling a staggering P29 billion to private asset managers.Meanwhile, organisers say the AVCA conference, which will be held from March 16 to 18, will offer a unique opportunity to showcase Botswana as a viable financial hub. The country will also benefit from international investors looking for opportunities in sectors such as mining, infrastructure and tourism. The conference will also put Botswana's private equity and venture capital under the spotlight, serving as a catalyst for growth and development of the asset class in the country.

The AVCA conference will be co-hosted by the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and VPB (formerly Venture Partners Botswana). Over 300 delegates coming from 18 African and nine non-African AVCA member countries are expected to attend the conference. Formed in 2000, AVCA is a non-profit making organisation whose mandate is to promote, develop and stimulate private equity and venture capital in Africa. The association currently has over five billion euros under its management.