13 Dec 2015

Visiting Japanese parliamentary vice minister, Mr Hitoshi Kikawada, has hailed Botswana as a viable economic partner. 

Mr Kikawada’s visit came exactly two years after vice minister of Japanese internal affairs and communications, Mr Tachibana Keiichiro, paid a courtesy call on the then Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Briefing the media last week, Mr Kikawada said his visit t was principally to nurture the already existing mutual economic partnership and exchange fruitful views with key government officials to enhance bilateral relationships between the two countries.

He said Botswana had enjoyed high ratings from international bodies for its political stability and rule of law, something, which was envied by big economies such as Japan.  Again, he said, the fact that Botswana came second in diamond production worldwide made the country become an important trade partner to Japan.

He said Japan’s interest was to see the cooperation go beyond economic ties but also strengthen other industries such as human resources, reduction of the income gap and assist in poverty eradication initiatives.

Mr Kikawada applauded Botswana for embracing the latest digital broadcast technology known as the Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting Terrestrial (ISDB-T) which the country had adopted as it prepared to make a digital switch.

Further, the vice minister said 2016 was a milestone year for Botswana as it prepared for its golden jubilee and also a build up to attend the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). Ends