21 May 2019

Ambassador of Germany to Botswana, Ralf Breth has described sport as a powerful, efficient and visible part of cooperation with other states.

As a result, he said Germany would like to do more for Botswana in other field of sport.

He said this at the launch of German Olympic Sports Confederation on May 20.

On other issues, Breth said in Germany, football was popular like in Botswana, adding that their support was to promote Botswana performance on international meetings.

Meanwhile, Botswana Football Association (BFA) president, Maclean Letshwiti said the association undetook a research on the status quo of football in Botswana immeditaely after he assumed presidency.

He said they linked the research with their core mandate of youth development; which gave rise to the realisation that they needed assistance in order to implement the mandate of the association.

“We then look for assistance from other stakeholders to provide us with the necessary expertise.  We realised that we had to fashion our youth development model to that of German youth developmennt programmes. Consequently, we had to make a proposal to Botswana National Olympic Commitee  requesting support and assistance from the German Federal government,” he said.

Furthermore, Letshwiti said that was followed by a German expert, who came to Botswana to conduct a feasibility study on a short-term basis, who then came up with recommendations.

He said one of the key critical success factors to Botswana youth development policy was coach education and talent identification; the German expert, Dr Carolin Braun was in

Botswana on a two year contract with an option to renew.

“In the next 10-15 years, the diamonds in Botswana will disappear, but there is only one constant thing, that will remain and that is the youth, who are the future of this society,” he said. ENDS