09 May 2021

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi  has appealed to Japan, China, Nigeria and Russia to create more areas of cooperations and  opportunities  for youth development and employment. 

When receiving letters of credence on Thursday from Ambassadors designate from Japan Mr Takishi Hoshiyama, Russia’s Mr Andrey Kemarsky, Mr Wang Xuefeng of China and Nigeria’s Ms Wosilat Adedeji, Dr Masisi said Botswana had a vibrant youth, energetic, amiable and with many years of opportunities ahead of them.

In welcoming the envoys, Dr Masisi expressed gratitude to strong bilateral relations and continued support to Botswana from the above-mentioned countries.  

He said Botswana wished to get maximum help and support and new development from her partners, in the space of value addition, aggregation, application of knowledge and product space. Additionally, Dr Masisi also called for enhanced cooperation in areas of agriculture, particularly the beef industry. He appealed for more market investment in areas of beef industry.

The Ambassadors designate also indicated their countries commitment to enhance and strengthen the cordial relations and cooperations. 

Ms Adedeji of Nigeria said Botswana had been an exemplary in the African continent because of her sustainable political and economic stability. 

She also said her country had brought investors to Botswana, particularly to learn in the area of beef industry as they believed that Nigeria could learn more from Botswana.

She appealed to Botswana for a Visa waiver for Nigerians, for free movement between the two countries, saying it would ease business opportunities between them. 

Ms Adedeji also applauded Dr Masisi on his intervention efforts of upholding peace and security on the continued terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado in Mozambique as well as in the SADC region.

Mr Xuefeng said his country would continue to enhance relations with Botswana and strengthen ties. 

China recently donated 200 000 SinoVac vaccine doses to Botswana, and Mr Xuefeng noted that his country stood in solidarity with Botswana in the fight against COVID-19. 

He further said his country would continue working with Botswana to defeat the pandemic and assist in facilitating the economic recovery plan.

For his part, Mr Hoshiyama said as a new ambassador he would strengthen the mutually trusting relations between Japan and Botswana, saying both countries shared common values such as peace, democracy and the rule of law. 

Moreover, he said  that the two would continue to cooperate and support each other on global issues of mutual interest such as the United Nations Security Council reform, while Mr Kemarsky of  Russia said his country was committed to strengthening long-standing relations with Botswana. 

Mr Kemarsky noted that his country pledged its assistance not only to Botswana, but other African countries in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic by availing Russia’s Sputnik Vaccine. 

He said Russia was awaiting approval from Botswana Medical Regulatory Authority (BoMRA) for the vaccine’s administration to Batswana. 

Mr Kermasky said Sputnik had  been registered and approved in over 20 African countries and over 60 countries worldwide, adding that it was a safe vaccine which he hoped would assist Botswana in the fight of the pandemic. ends