Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana’s United Kingdom and Germany bound envoys have been implored to relentlessly defend, protect and promote the country’s image and interests abroad.
President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said this in Gaborone yesterday when bidding farewell to high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom (UK), Mr Lawrence Kelaotswe and ambassador-designate to Germany, Mr John-Thomas Dipowe.
President Masisi urged both envoys to remain steadfast in coordinating Botswana’s foreign policy.
“Go out there and fly Botswana’s flag high, most importantly centre your effort on assisting government to optimally attain the transformational and reset agenda that government has embarked on,” President Masisi added.
He said Botswana’s relations with the UK were rooted in historic ties.
A lot of government systems, he said, were modelled around the UK governance, something which symbolised the strong ties between the two nations.
The two are also members of similar multilateral institutions such as the Commonwealth.
He added that the onus was on Mr Kelaotswe to ensure that Botswana’s presence, interests and contribution in multilateral institutions were clearly advanced.
Similarly, President Masisi said Botswana attached a lot of importance to its relations with Germany, which occupied a prominent place in global economic affairs.
“One of the key pillars in the two countries development trajectory entails continuously developing their human capital. Botswana therefore notes with admiration how Germany has managed to develop a dual system in vocational training by combining the benefits of classroom-based and on-the-job training in order to meet its economy’s demand for highly qualified personnel,” President Masisi said.
He thus acknowledged the role that Germany played in transforming the Technical and Vocational Training, adding that such role would be beneficial in the transformation drive to the knowledge based economy.
In his response, Mr Kelaotswe pledged to always put the country’s interests at heart and serve Botswana with humility, honour and dignity. “It is my commitment to contribute positively and promote Botswana’s interests in moulding the Botswana that we all want,” he said.
For his part, Mr Dipowe stated that there was a lot that Botswana could learn from Germany, which is the fourth largest economy in the world.
“With Germany among some of the most industrialised countries in the world, it is of paramount importance to find ways through which the embassy can benchmark on their industrialisation drive and come up with tailor-made ideas that can work best for Botswana,” Mr Dipowe said.
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