25 Jan 2018

Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi yesterday left for  Ethiopia to attend the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union.

The summit will be held under the theme “Winning the Fight against Corruption:  A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation”.

Speaking in an interview before departure, Mr Masisi highlighted that the summit was expected to discuss issues of pertinent importance which included migration, terrorism and security issues regarding African nations’ bilateral relations.

He said the summit also aimed at discussing issues dealing with AU reforms and part of the reforms agenda included an aspect of the calculation and determination of a methods of contributions to the AU which was a proposal that had been tabled in the previous summits.

He explained that the reform suggested that member states should contribute 0.2 per cent of their imports value with the key intention being to motivate countries to reduce the quantum of their contributions in order to increase the quantity of goods produced domestically so that they cut down on their import bill.

He said Botswana like other SADC states was not in support of 0.2 percentage import value calculation and was more comfortable with the current formula used hence will clearly  present Botswana’s position to the upcoming submit.

With regard to issues pertaining to migration and immigration, Mr Masisi noted that Botswana need assurance and stabilization that there will not be an overwhelming migration of immigrants to certain parts of Africa which might end up been uncontrollable to the authorities.

Further Mr Masisi emphasised part of the summit agenda would be for African leaders to take position regarding the alleged recent remarks by America’s head of state describing certain African nations in vulgar terms.

He said Botswana had long pronounced on the use of such disparaging comment about Africa and was totally against such arguing that such language hurt efforts to bring peace and development to the continent.

The Vice President was seen off at the Sir Seretse Khama International airport by Permanent Secretary to the President, Mr Carter Morupisi and is expected back home on January, 30. Ends