Africa-Press – Angola. The President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi, considered, this Friday, as “historic” the state visit made to the country by his Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço, from the 20th to the 22nd of July 2023.
The Tswanese statesman was speaking during the press conference that marked the end of official talks between the delegations of the two countries, within the framework of João Lourenço’s travel.
Masisi underlined the fact that President Lourenço’s state visit took place at a time when Angola is preparing to host the next ordinary SADC summit and assume the presidency of this regional organization based in the Tswanese capital, Gaborone.
For this reason, he wished advance congratulations to João Lourenço, who promised to personally travel to Luanda to participate in the work of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) summit.
In addition, he revealed that the visit coincided with the celebration of his birthday on which he turned 61, ironizing that João Lourenço was thus the first head of state he received as a “gift”.
He said he had agreed with his Angolan counterpart the need to implement a vast program of bilateral collaboration, covering a large number of sectors.
Among the sectors contemplated for the deepening and broadening of cooperation between the two countries, he mentioned the areas of energy, with the supply of fuels; transport, health, animal reproduction and mining production.
President João Lourenço arrived in Gaborone on Thursday afternoon, for a two-day state visit devoted to revitalizing bilateral cooperation relations.
Upon his arrival, João Lourenço was welcomed at Gaborone International Airport by his counterpart from Botswana, Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi, with whom he held a meeting to establish the best ways to revitalize bilateral cooperation in various fields.
The two SADC member countries are determined to relaunch the bilateral relations that date back to the beginnings of Angola’s independence achieved in 1975.
After the establishment of their diplomatic relations, Angola and Botswana signed, in February 2006, a general cooperation agreement that is in the process of being updated, before the signing of new legal instruments.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
