GABORONE, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Botswana's government has allocated 1.8 million U.S. dollars towards the development of sport during the current financial year, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said on Wednesday.

"I am pleased to inform you that the government has allocated 1.8 million U.S. dollars this financial year towards the development of sport," said Masisi during a sendoff ceremony of youth national darts team in Francistown, Botswana's second largest city.

The country's youth national darts team, comprising nine girls and ten boys under 18, heads off for Walvis Bay, Namibia on Sunday to compete in the biannual African Union Sports Council Region 5 youth championships.

"The government has also established 14 schools dedicated as centers of sporting excellence," said Masisi, adding that the objective of these centers is to unearth sporting talent while ensuring educational development among students.

According to Masisi, the centers cover the codes of athletics, boxing, karate, football, netball, softball and volleyball.

"We have allocated 360,000 U.S. dollars towards the running of these centers this financial year because our aim is to produce a lot of athletes in different sporting disciplines," said Masisi, adding that sport can reduce the southern African country's unemployment rate, currently estimated at 24 percent.

Masisi added that his dream is to make Botswana a net exporter of professional athletes in different sporting disciplines.