Albaddad Holding, the UAE-headquartered global group specialising in modular construction, exhibition infrastructure and fast-track delivery, has launched its New Botswana City project in Gaborone, Botswana's capital.
The project, a transformative mixed-use destination, is designed to position Botswana as a leading hub for trade, tourism and international business engagement, facilitated through a strategic partnership with Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), the main investment arm of the Government of Botswana, said the group.
Spanning 1,240,000 sq m with a total projected value of $1.9 billion across three phases, New Botswana City is designed as a bold new chapter in the country’s economic growth and diversification journey.
The development positions Gaborone as a regional centre for trade, business events and investment. It is envisioned as a destination where people live, work, and trade every day, bringing together business, commerce, hospitality, and community life within a dynamic ecosystem that generates continuous economic activity and opportunity.
The city comprises 51 residential towers spread across 17 integrated complexes, with three towers per complex; 18 buildings across six commercial and office complexes; five international hotels; and an integrated boulevard district featuring retail outlets, restaurants, cafes, entertainment facilities and service amenities. It will extend Albaddad's international footprint into Southern Africa and reinforce its standing as a leading global developer and operator of large-scale exhibition, event and infrastructure destinations.
New Botswana City’s development will be anchored by the Albaddad Botswana Global Exhibition & Convention Centre, a 124,000-sq-m integrated events facility valued at $292 million designed as the first phase of the new city development.
Construction was marked by a groundbreaking ceremony officiated by Advocate Duma Gideon Boko, President of the Republic of Botswana, in the presence of Mahash Saeed AlHameli, Ambassador of the UAE to South Africa and Non-Resident Ambassador to Botswana; Dr Alfateen Hussein Albaddad, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Albaddad Holding; and Oteng Keabetswe, BDC's Managing Director.
President Boko said the project must ultimately be judged by the value it creates for Botswana and its people. "New Botswana City must prove that strategic land can be converted into national value; that global capital can enter Botswana under clear terms, with clear benefits and respect for national priorities; and that private sector capability can work with a public development mandate.”
The Albaddad Botswana Global Exhibition & Convention Centre will be among the largest and most advanced venues of its kind in Africa. Offering exhibition halls, conference facilities, and outdoor event spaces, the centre will serve as a catalyst for economic growth by providing a permanent platform for trade, investment, innovation, and business tourism. Beyond hosting exhibitions and conferences, it is intended to attract international capital, support entrepreneurship, strengthen Botswana's SME ecosystem and create opportunities across hospitality, retail, transport and professional services. Full operational capacity is anticipated to generate approximately 25,000 to 37,500 total direct and indirect jobs, embedding sustained economic opportunity across multiple sectors.
Dr Alfateen Hussein Albaddad said: "We are extremely pleased to be working on this project and proud to partner with Botswana Development Corporation on a development of this significance. We extend our sincere gratitude to Advocate Duma Gideon Boko for his support and vision, and to Botswana Development Corporation for its partnership and confidence in Albaddad. New Botswana City is designed to create opportunities, attract investment, generate employment, and strengthen the country's position in the regional and global economy. It is the gateway to Africa's trade future and a landmark legacy built in Botswana, made for the world. We are honoured to play a role in helping bring that vision to life." -TradeArabia News Service