Botswana has recorded mixed progress towards achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, with the latest 2024 Domesticated Indicator Framework Report revealing significant gains in civil registration and water management financing, but highlighting persistent challenges in health outcomes and economic performance.
According to the report published by Statistics Botswana, the country has performed strongly in several areas, notably achieving a 96.9% birth registration rate and a 97.6% death registration rate—figures close to the SDG targets of 100% and 80% respectively. Similarly, Botswana scored a respectable 56% in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) implementation, categorized as medium-high, while financing for water infrastructure was particularly robust, scoring 65%. This reflects Botswana’s commendable investment in securing water resources against a backdrop of climate variability and population growth.
However, the report also paints a sobering picture of critical gaps in maternal and child health. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) remains stubbornly high at 175.5 per 100,000 live births, well above the SDG target of 70 per 100,000. The under-five mortality rate, while showing improvement over past decades, stands at 27.0 deaths per 1,000 live births, slightly missing the target of 25. Alarmingly, while Botswana had met the under-five mortality target between 2018 and 2021, the 2022 figures marked a reversal, raising concerns about recent declines in child healthcare outcomes.
Economic growth indicators also revealed worrying trends. Botswana’s GDP growth rate slumped to 2.7% in 2023, falling far below the 7% target for developing countries and significantly down from the impressive 11.9% growth recorded in 2021. This slowdown raises serious questions about the resilience of the country’s economic recovery strategies post-COVID-19 and the effectiveness of current policies aimed at diversifying the economy away from its traditional reliance on minerals.
The report further highlights the persistent challenge of data disaggregation, essential for uncovering inequalities. Although 54% of the SDG indicators are now fully disaggregated, 46% still lack sufficient granularity. This shortfall risks masking disparities in progress, particularly for marginalized groups. The report warns of the danger posed by Simpson’s Paradox—where aggregate data suggests positive national trends that, when disaggregated, reveal worsening conditions for certain subgroups such as rural populations or women.
Despite these challenges, Botswana’s commitment to aligning its methodologies with international standards and promoting evidence-based policymaking remains strong. The country’s efforts to improve data quality, strengthen institutions, and invest in critical areas like water management show that, while the path to 2030 may be fraught with hurdles, the political will to address them is evident.
