31 Mar 2022

The ongoing constitutional review process is testament to Botswana’s commitment to deepening its democratic heritage, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

Receiving letters of credence from Romania ambassador, Ms Monica Sitaru in Gaborone yesterday, Dr Masisi said having developed a constitution through public representatives at independence, Botswana now sought to engage ordinary citizens to further broaden participatory democracy.

“We are undergoing a constitution review process, very transparent. We want to close the loopholes that people identify in our constitution; the first constitution was drawn around conference tables by a select few, in this case it has opened up, and we hope for a useful outcome,” Dr Masisi said.

He told the Romanian envoy that the ongoing consultative process was guided by the national ethos of dialogue which emphasised the talking through of issues and working to develop consensus.

On the current war between Russia and Ukraine, the President said Botswana believed in  peaceful resolution of conflicts.

“Botswana calls both parties to a cessation of arms and a meeting around the table to discuss their problems,” Dr Masisi said.

The President expressed Botswana’s appreciation of Romania’s response to the crisis which included management of refugees and assisting migrants in distress.

Turning to Botswana-Romania ties, Dr Masisi said the two countries had long time cordial relations based on mutual respect, shared values and common belief in resolution of conflicts through peaceful means.

“It is a partnership that has enormous potential for you and our representative in London to exploit to its maximum; and there are many opportunities in the automotive manufacturing sector, electronics, digital, and in the agricultural space, where we could learn from each other and partner,” Dr Masisi said.

For her part, Ambassador Sitaru promised to use her tour of duty to improve the two countries’ bilateral ties by forging partnerships in various sectors.

“I have asked for meetings with the ministers of education, investment trade and industry and some captains of industry, and university heads to try and work together in various fields such as education, trade, the economy, to strengthen our ties,” Ms Sitaru said.

She said education and training, agriculture and food security and transforming health systems were some of the most important areas in the Romanian policy approach to Africa in general.

The ambassador said her country wished to see the number of Africans who studied in Romania, some 17 500 in the last five years, increase.

She said Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already doubled the number of scholarships for African students. 

“Before coming here I discussed with the leadership of some of the most important universities in Romania about the future cooperation between them and universities in Botswana,” Ms Sitaru said.

She revealed that the planned  meetings with the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology as well as the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources would be centred around creating partnerships, student exchanges, visits, scholarships and other areas of cooperation.

On a different matter, Ambassador Sitaru said Romania was involved in issues of security and governance in Africa having organised post-conflict stabilisation programmes and contributing to peacekeeping efforts in some African states.

 She revealed that Romania had joined the European Union trade mission in Mozambique in order to assist in stabilising the country  after the current conflict in its Cabo Delgado region.

About Botswana,  Ms Sitaru said the country had remained a model of stability “for countries all over the world.” Ends