20 May 2021

The proposed Botswana-Lesotho water project remains a priority for the two nations and will therefore have to be escalated and accelerated, says President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

  Briefing the media in Maseru Wednesday following his one-day working visit to Lesotho, he said collaboration in the project should emulate the multilateral partnership between Botswana and Zambia which led to the successful completion of the recently opened Kazungula Bridge. 

  Stories of such partnerships should be told as they showed positive development in Africa, President Masisi said. 

  In 2015, the two countries’ ministers responsible for water signed a Memorandum of Agreement aimed  at providing policy and political guidance for the project as well as to review progress on the implementation of the 10-year integrated water resource management plan.

  Through the project, Botswana will import water from Lesotho, which has a surplus as its mountains can easily trap water from rivers such as Senqu, Vaal and Orange,  through a 600km pipeline running across South Africa.

  Dr Masisi said the two nations would engage South Africa and expressed the hope that the trio would agree on the project easily and quickly so that all countries involved got maximum benefit.

  For his part, Lesotho prime minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro said his country looked forward to cooperating with Botswana in creating value in diamonds.

 He noted that Botswana had progressed well in the diamond industry while Lesotho had lagging behind.

 Lesotho, he said, looked to Botswana for guidance and assistance in its diamond industry. 

  “Botswana has a lot of good diamond activity in the region and we would like to cooperate with them in that regard,” Dr Majoro said.

   The two heads of state have also agreed to work closely in the beef sector.

   President Masisi’s entourage included Minister of International Affairs and cooperation Dr Lemogang Kwape, Botswana’s SADC executive secretary candidate Mr Elias Magosi, Kgosi Malope II of Bangwaketse and other senior government officials. ENDS