Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana continues to grow in stature as a player in the African Union (AU) and other multilateral fora.
This is according to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Lemogang Kwape who said last week’s AU summit was the latest affirmation that Botswana’s star was rising in international relations.
He was addressing a press conference in Gaborone on Botswana’s participation at the 36th AU summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia February 18-19.
In addition to Botswana being elected AU bureau of assembly second vice chair, head of delegation President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi had the opportunity to chair summit proceedings for which he was praised, said Dr Kwape.
The President had a meeting with South Korea President Yoon Suk-yeo’s special envoy who delivered an invitation for Dr Masisi to visit the Asian industrial giant.
Dr Kwape said the invitation, coming just weeks after Swiss Confederation President Alaine Berset had invited Dr Masisi to Switzerland, was another feather in the cap for Botswana.
Such trips would forge strong, mutually beneficial relationships that Botswana could profit from given the two states’ success in areas such as industrial development, research and innovation which were vital to the realisation of President Masisi’s vision for the country.
Dr Kwape said other strategic meetings on the sidelines of the AU summit included the ones he had with his Australian and Portuguese counterparts on potential areas of cooperation such as agriculture and mining.
He revealed that the Botswana delegation also had discussions with Canada’s University of Ottawa vice president which resulted in an agreement for the institution to explore the possibility of virtual lectures with University of Botswana, Botswana, University of Agriculture and Natural Sciences and Botswana Institute for Technology, Research and Innovation.
At the same briefing, Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mmusi Kgafela updated the media on the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.
He also disclosed that discussions were held with Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (known by its French acronym BADEA) representatives on the possibility of financing large scale infrastructure projects such as the Trans-Kalahari railway line to connect Botswana with Namibia’s Walvis Bay port.
Mr Kgafela said another issue discussed was the financing of small and medium enterprises which needed access to credit in order to flourish.
Further discussions would be held with BADEA which had reasonable fixed interest rates, he said.
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