(C) Copyright 2011-2012 Botswana-SME Portal, All Rights Reserved. Government Support: Botswana The Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) provides a holistic approach to the  development and promotion of viable sustainable citizen-owned enterprises. This is done through  the provision of financial assistance in the form of loans at subsidized interest rates, and back-up  business training and mentoring services to enhance the sustainability of these enterprises. • CEDA lends from P500 to P150 000 at 5% interest per annum payable over a period of five (5) years for the small scale category of enterprises. • CEDA lends from P150 001 to P2 million at 7.5% interest per annum payable over a period of  7 years for medium scale enterprises. • A Venture Capital fund has recently been established that is intended to facilitate funding of  projects that could be both locally and foreign owned. The CEDA Venture Capital Fund (CEDA - VCF) provides risk capital to financially viable start ups,  expanding businesses owned by citizens and joint ventures between citizens and foreigners in all  sectors of the economy. The CEDA-VCF helps to relieve the equity capital constraint, which affects  most citizen investors. The Venture Capital Fund will usually not be involved in the day- to- day  management of the business, but will seek to add value to a growing business by giving direction to  the business venture it has invested in through regular contact and discussions with management. Botswana Investment Protection Given the political and social instability that African countries often time experience and potential  impact of such situations on foreign investors; Botswana has ratified a World Bank Convention  which in 1985 established the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).   MIGA offers investors protection against inconvertibility or transfer of currency, expropriation, breach of contract and war and civil disturbance. It is financed by capital subscriptions by participating  countries and by premiums from investors for the type of protection desired. Botswana International Financial Services Centre  The Botswana International Financial Services Centre is a government agency that was  incorporated in April 2003. Its primary role is to establish and develop Botswana as a world-class  hub to facilitate the delivery of a wide range of cross-border financial services to clients in other  countries. Botswana is in mainland Africa and therefore the company is well positioned to facilitate business  resulting from increasing financial flows between major industrial economies and Africa, as well as  intra-African trade. The financial services must be provided to clients outside Botswana and in  currencies other than the Pula. Click Play to See Our Business Links