13 Apr 2022

Expectations for enhanced Botswana-Mozambique relations have gone up in the space of a week following conclusion of the two countries’ Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) session capped by the arrival yesterday of Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi on a three-day state visit.

“We have had wonderful engagements with President Nyusi and his delegation, which were a summation of the JPCC led by our ministers and senior officials. In those the areas of cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, defence, justice, arts and culture were explored, detailed and updated. We are deepening our collaboration,” President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi told the media after a tête-à-tête and official talks with his counterpart at Office of the President yesterday.

Among the areas identified for deepening collaboration is the Ponta Techobanine Project, which entails construction of a heavy haul railway line linking Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique through the latter’s deep sea port of Ponta Techobanine.

“We are committed to developing this deep sea port. The interest for Botswana is to provide opportunity for security of supply as an alternative route, particularly for our major strategic imports such as fuel and others from the sea. We have already put down, along with Mozambique and Zimbabwe US$1 million (over P11 million in current exchange rates) each state, for a feasibility study to determine the scope the project assumes and level of investment required,” Dr Masisi said.

The President said the two countries also pledged to enhance mutual support including continued joint efforts against the terrorist threat in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province to which Botswana was contributing as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission In Mozambique (SAMIM).

He revealed that Botswana was providing training for Mozambique security personnel and also working with the country to enhance the delivery and use of veterinary medicine produced by Botswana Vaccine Institute.

The two countries would improve collaboration in the areas of business and education, including Botswana opening up study opportunities for Mozambicans, said Dr Masisi.

For his part, President Nyusi noted that Botswana and Mozambique had consistently enjoyed good political relations which now needed to have tangible economic benefits. 

Mozambique, he said, had the comparative advantage of good port, rail and road links that Botswana could access in order to improve movement of goods and services. 

On the other hand, Botswana had strong mining, beef, animal vaccine production and a solid tourism sector which Mozambique was willing to learn from, he said.

President Nyusi expressed Mozambique’s gratitude for the moral and material support Botswana had extended to the country in the aftermath of natural disasters such as the recent Cyclone Idai.

He said Botswana troops had done exceptionally well in assisting to restore law and order to Cabo Delgado.  Ends