20 May 2018

Outgoing European Union (EU) Ambassador to Botswana and SADC, Mr Alexander Baum says Europe’s integration makes a lot of sense as it helps foster economic development not only in the block but elsewhere.

Speaking during the 9th Europe Day reception in Gaborone on May 18, Mr Baum said the “EU is not an empire created or held together by force.”

He said it was legitimate for member states to make different choices, citing the referendum on EU membership held by theUnited Kingdom in June 2016 that led to the decision of the UK government to leave the EU by end of March next year.

He said the bilateral agreement between the EU and Botswana, which comes to an end in 2020, would further be negotiated.

He encouraged Botswana to take interest in the negotiations, which would determine how the two relate at the bilateral level.

Ambassador Baum, however, said with or without an agreement, the EU was here to stay and promised to make every effort to develop the relation further into mature a partnership.

“The EU has been a faithful development partner to Botswana over the years, but I must also highlight that we have had strong common understanding in our values and views about what is happening around the world,” he said.

Under the current funding cycle of the 11th European Development Fund, the EU hopes to support Botswana in addressing its ambition to diversify the economy and address the issue of youth unemployment, notably through improved Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) in the coming years.

He said it would be done in cooperation with the German government to develop economic relations with more investments, trade and dialogue on policies. ENDS