10 Mar 2016

The High Commissioner of the United Kingdom (UK) to Botswana, Ms Katharine Ransome, has presented letters of credence to President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

Speaking in an interview after presenting letters of credence to President Khama yesterday, the High Commissioner said she was delighted to have been appointed as UK’s High Commissioner to Botswana.

Botswana and UK, the High Commissioner said, had a strong and deep relationship and she was here to further that relationship. 

The areas of cooperation she intended advancing, she said,  included conservation and wildlife trade, which she said her predecessor, Mr Nicholas Pyle had started.

Additionally, during her term in Botswana, Ms Ransome said she would also be looking for further opportunities to develop trade and even cultural and education exchanges between UK and Botswana.

“We have a long and deep history and obviously we will be celebrating 50^th anniversary of Botswana this year. We have a lot of achievement, scholars going to the UK to study. We have a number of businesses operating here and we also have strong relationships on things like conservation, which is something that both governments and the world family are very interested in here in Botswana,” she said.

She said her predecessor told her that he loved his time in Botswana and was very sad to have to live.

“He told me about lots of things to do, lots of places to visit and lots of people to meet.

“He thoroughly enjoyed his time here and told me what a fantastic place Botswana was.  And I think he wishes the country well and he would have loved to stay longer, but unfortunately he couldn’t. His departure meant that I could come and enjoy this country too,” she added. Ends