19 May 2013

The European Union continues to be Botswana’s main source of development assistance. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Phandu Skelemani said this at European Union Day celebrations in Gaborone on May 16. 

The minister said Botswana had been allocated funds to assist organisations in the promotion of core values of good governance, democracy and human rights. He said the intervention would complement existing collaboration with EU in the promotion of poverty eradication, economic development, climate and environment protection and education.

For his part, the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Botswana and SADC, Ambassador Gerard McGovern assured partner countries that they were putting their house in order by introducing the fiscal discipline and oversight as well as the creativity that would be necessary conditions for recovery and sustainable growth.

Mr McGovern applauded Botswana for being the first country in Africa to sign amendments to the ICC Statute, adding that Europe must remain actively engaged in world affairs and continue to act responsibly.

He said EU diplomacy was active in the Middle East peace process, in Iran nuclear talks and in the Balkans and the Europeans were horrified at what was unfolding in Syria and EU was doing what it could through diplomatic and other channels to bring an end to the civil war and alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people.

He said over the past four decades EU relations with Botswana had matured and today the relationship was political, economic and although Botswana was an upper middle income country, there was still an important strand of financial and technical cooperation.

Mr McGovern commended Botswana for the pro-active and constructive role it played as a member of the UN Human Rights Council and during the current semester as Chair of the ACP Group of States. ENDS