08 May 2017

Brazil’s foreign affairs minister, Mr Aloysio Nunes Ferreira is in Botswana and the purpose of his trip is aimed at strengthening “the promising bilateral relationship of the two countries”.

According to a press release from his office, Mr Ferreira said Brazil sees Africa as a natural and increasingly important diplomatic destination.

The release states that Brazil and Botswana have come a long way over the past three decades. Diplomatic ties between the two countries were formally established in 1985 and have since then acquired both width and depth.

It says the opening of the embassy of Brazil in Gaborone in 2007 and of the embassy of Botswana in Brasilia in 2009 – the first diplomatic mission of the country in the whole of the Latin American and Caribbean region – only highlight the willingness of both countries to work side by side.

“Cooperation has always been a critical component of our relationship. Agreements in the fields of sports, HID/AIDS prevention, agricultural research, social development, cultural and educational cooperation have been put into place,” states the release.

It says Botswana has adopted the Japanese-Brazilian digital TV system, which opens up promising avenues for cooperation in science and technology and over the past decade or so the  trade exchanges have doubled.

The release further states that the entry into force of the Preferential Trade Agreement between the Southern Africa Customs Union  and Mercosur is a good starting point. The agreement, which provides for preferential margins in approximately 1,050 tariff lines, will boost trade flows between Brazil and Botswana, benefit the integration of production chains, and improve lives of workers and consumers of both regions.

It however, states that the full potential of Brazil-Botswana bilateral relations remains unfulfilled.

During his visit to Gaborone, he intends to discuss ways to taking the projects on rural associations and institutional strengthening for fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic to the next level, which will encouraging deeper ties between the two countries’ militaries and stimulating closer political dialogue between other governmental agencies .

The release states that as one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa and a reliable destination for investments, Botswana is a business partner Brazil seeks to prioritise.

“We should persevere in bringing our business communities closer together and explore opportunities that may otherwise be overlooked, Some might say it is fortuitous that Brazil and Botswana, for the sake of alphabetical coincidence, are next-door neighbors in the seating arrangements at the United Nations. I see more than serendipity at work,” the release quotes the minister.

It further states that Brasilia and Gaborone share principles and values that lead to a broad convergence of views in various multilateral fora.

“Our countries have shown a steadfast commitment to international law, the peaceful solution of disputes and multilateralism as a means to sustain a rules-based international order.

Democracy, human rights, as well as the promotion of development and social inclusion, bring us close together in the international arena,” adds the release.

The release states that if anything, Brazil and Botswana ought to translate this shared world view into concrete initiatives that bring peace, stability and prosperity “to our peoples and our respective regions.”BOPA