01 Mar 2020

Botswana will continue to enhance collaboration with Japan for the mutual benefit, says the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Kabo Morwaeng.

Speaking at the at an event to celebrate the National Day of Japan and the birthday celebrations of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito in Gaborone recently, he said as Japan increases its footprint in Africa, they invite many more  Japanese enterprises to consider Botswana as a safe and secure destination for investment and tourism.

Mr Morwaeng, who was standing in for minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Unity Dow, said with regard to sound bilateral relations, he could affirm that the two countries enjoyed excellent relations, founded on shared values such as good governance and the drive to build inclusive and prosperous societies.

He said the sound bi-lateral relations manifested through different means such as government-to-government collaboration, partnerships with civil society, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts.

“Japan continues to contribute tremendously to capacity building in the public sector as well as community and sports development through the volunteers programme, and it is indeed heart-warming to see Japanese volunteers happily residing in Botswana, and being very active community members in more ways than one,” he said.

He said the government of Botswana thanked all the people of japan for their generous gesture of collegiality of bringing 300 volunteers from japan.

The Japanese Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Kozo Takeda said the embassy was keen on maintaining and developing existing cooperation with SADC and continuing support for capacity building in the region’s countries through technical cooperation in areas such as mining sector and the management of forest resources.

Mr Takeda said this year, Japan would host the largest sporting events on earth in the likes of the Olympic Games and the Paralympic, saying the Japanese were looking forward to the excitement in Japan, and the world over, as they would be entertained by the world’s best in sport.   

He said Japan endeavoured to do its utmost to ensure the health and safety of all their guest, who would visit Japan during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and had thus taken comprehensive measures to deal with the COVID-19.

 

He said Japan had been in constant contact with the World Health Organisation and stood in solidarity with all affected countries and also affirmed that they would  join forces world over to tackle this global public health threat.ENDS