The Budget Department serves as a cornerstone of Botswana’s socio-economic advancement by strategically aligning both development and recurrent financial resources with the nation’s priorities and the aspirations of its citizens. It champions a budget process that is transparent, inclusive, and impactful, empowering every stakeholder to understand how public funds drive national progress. Beyond spearheading the formulation and management of the national budget, the Department offers expert fiscal policy advice, orchestrates expenditure planning, champions budget reform initiatives, coordinates international technical assistance and donor financing, and compiles authoritative public finance statistics. Its collaborative engagement with line ministries ensures that the budget process remains transparent, responsive, and adaptive to emerging needs.
Under the stewardship of the Secretary for Budget, Mr. Boniface Mphetlhe, supported by Deputy Secretary for Development Budget, Mr. Ignatius Oarabile, and Deputy Secretary for Budget Administration, Ms. Seabo Keorapetse, the Department’s leadership maintains robust coordination across all facets of budgetary functions, fostering cohesive and effective financial governance.
The Department is structured into five key sections, each playing a critical role in Botswana’s public financial management and development agenda.
Supports Ministries and Agencies in preparing the Annual Development Budget and monitors the implementation of development projects to ensure they align with the National Development Plan priorities, Vision 2036, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It manages the Development Projects Monitoring System (DPMS), coordinates external financing and development cooperation, and acts as the National Designation Authority for the Green Climate Fund while managing EU programmes.
Coordinates the recurrent budget process across government, ensuring fiscal discipline and compliance with the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act. It provides financial advisory support to Ministries through seconded staff and oversees cash flow analysis, debt service, and reporting. This section also drives Public Finance Management reforms including the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), revenue maximisation, and cost recovery initiatives, ensuring day-to-day government services operate efficiently and responsively.
Complementing above efforts, the Department’s Fiscal Management reforms focus on strengthening Botswana’s public finance systems. Current reforms include enhancements to the DPMS and transitioning from the CS-DRMS to the Commonwealth Meridian platform for modern debt management. The Department is also committed to improving budget transparency through proactive fiscal data publication and active participation in the Open Budget Survey, consistent with Botswana’s Vision 2036 objectives.
Coordinates and controls activities relating to losses of public monies and damage to Government property, assists MDAs in the timely review of user fees and service charges, and identifies new areas of cost recovery measures. The section administers financial legislation throughout Government in accordance with the PFM Act as supplemented by Financial Instructions and Procedures. The PFMC Section further plays an advisory service in matters relating to Public Finances.
Exercises strategic oversight over the Government’s fiscal operations by meticulously monitoring cash flows to support budget credibility. By compiling Government Finance Statistics (GFS), the Section is responsible for the economic and functional classification of the central government budget. This is to adhere to international standards, promote transparency and enable international comparison. The Section is also responsible for managing public and publicly guaranteed debt through formulating and implementing of the debt management strategy, guiding borrowing decisions and managing associated risks, maintaining and monitoring the public debt management system (CS-Meridian and the Public Debt Service Module) to ensure accurate record-keeping and transparency, while facilitating the regular dissemination of debt data to stakeholders. In addition, the Section oversees the timely servicing of public debt, including principal and interest payments, to uphold the country’s financial commitments.
Secretary for Budget: Mr. Boniface Mphetlhe
Telephone: 3950246
1. How does the Budget Department monitor progress on development projects?
The Department uses the Development Projects Monitoring System (DPMS) to track project status and alignment with priorities. Please note, the DPMS is currently undergoing maintenance, so some updates may be delayed. The Department works closely with ministries to monitor implementation and address issues quickly.
2. What support is available for donor-funded projects?
The Department coordinates donor financing and provides technical support to ensure projects comply with national plans and donor requirements. It acts as a liaison between donors and implementing agencies for effective resource use.
3. What are the key performance indicators for budget implementation?
Key indicators include timely budget submissions, rate of fund disbursement and expenditure, achievement of development milestones, and adherence to fiscal targets like debt ratios and revenue collection.