Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana and Zambia are keen to upscale their relations through the establishment of the Bi-national Commission, Minister of foreign Affairs Dr Lemogang Kwape has said.
In an interview on the sidelines of President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s working visit in Livingstone, Zambia on Tuesday, Minister Kwape said the move to elevate the relations was motivated by the desire to further strengthen ties between the two countries as by envisioned President Masisi and his Zambian counterpart Mr Hakainde Hichilema.
“It was during the January Zambia state visit to Botswana that the two head of states assigned their Ministries of Foreign Affairs to see to it that the formulation of the enhanced, deepened, impactful programme of bilateral cooperation between the two countries was formed and realised in the shortest possible time,” he said
He thus said the agreement to upgrade to bi-national commission would allow the two counties to grow their long standing relations.
The new agreement, he said, would keep the two leaders abreast of investment opportunities in each country and actively encourage businesses to invest in areas of mutual benefit for regional development, such as in mineral beneficiation, local manufacturing and agriculture.
Dr Kwape said the two countries enjoyed cordial and fraternal relations dating back to the pre-independence era and formalised at independence in 1966.
“The new structure would create a perfect platform for the two heads of states to meet regularly and discuss issues of mutual interest,” he said.
He said relations between the two nations were underpinned by strong historical and political bonds that date back to the era of colonialism.
Therefore, he observed, the time was opportune for the two nations to upgrade their relations which span a wide spectrum of areas on which the bi-national commission could be the main platform for coordination. He explained that the relations between the two countries covered cultural, political, commercial, economic, education and infrastructure development areas hence it came as no surprise that they worked together in the construction of the Kazungula bridge and the one stop border post.
“The successful completion of the Kazungula Bridge Project and the One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) bears testimony to the deep and cordial relations that our two countries have enjoyed over the years. It is imperative for all of us to ensure that the improved connectivity brought about by the bridge is fully exploited for mutual benefit,” he said.
Dr Kwape said Zambia was not only a good neighbour and a strategic partner in Botswana’s developmental efforts but also a friend and an important ally in the region as well as at an international level.
He said Botswana could draw lessons from Zambia on education and fertilizers’ production while she could on the other hand offer mineral beneficiations knowledge to Zambia.
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