19 Aug 2018

President Mokgweetsi Masisi together with 16 other heads of state and their representatives have signed a number of legal instruments during the just-ended 38^th SADC summit in Windhoek, Namibia.

President Masisi, who on August 17 gave his debut speech at the forum, signed two legal instruments being the draft agreement amending the Revised Constitution to Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation as well as the Windhoek Declaration on Eliminating Malaria in the SADC region.

The draft agreement amending the Revised Constitution to Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation aims at harmonising the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) procedures with established SADC rules and procedures to smoothen operalisation of SARPCCO and finalise the integration of the same within the region.

The declaration on elimination of Malaria in the SADC region also referred to as Windhoek Declaration is intended to combat malaria in the regional bloc. It also promotes legislative policy and mobilisation of resources to fight Malaria in the region.

Meanwhile, President Masisi and his Zimbabwean counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa witnessed the signing ceremony of Botswana/Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) on the side-lines of the summit, where Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Unity Dow and her Zimbabwean equivalent Dr Gen. Sibusiso Moyo signed for their respective countries.

When briefing the media following the signing of an agreement establishing the BNC, Dr Dow said this demonstrated the existing cordial and fruitful bilateral cooperation.

“The BNC replaces the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) and the Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security (JPCDS),” she said.

The two commissions, Dr Dow stated, had been mechanisms for promoting bilateral relations between the two neighbouring states since the early 1980s.

The BNC will be co-chaired by the heads of state of the two countries and as such will enable high level strategic direction to the two states, Dr Dow said.

Her Zimbabwean counterpart, Dr Gen. Sibusiso Moyo concurred that the signing of the BNC was a testimony of upgrading economic cooperation between Botswana and Zimbabwe.

He said the fact that BNC would be chaired at the level of presidency was a welcome development.

Over the years, Botswana and Zimbabwe have managed to forge strong cooperation in the economic field, particularly in areas such as education, agriculture, defence and security, energy, environment and health, among others. 

The summit was held under the theme: Promoting Infrastructure Development and Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development. ENDS