18 Apr 2022

The bond of friendship between Botswana and Mozambique continues to blossom, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.
Speaking during a state banquet held in honour of Mozambique President Mr Filipe Nyusi in Gaborone last week, Dr Masisi said the two countries' bilateral relations had grown stronger during the past week, with their Seventh Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) meeting as well as the state visit to Botswana by Mr Nyusi. President Masisi said the JPCC meeting afforded ministers and senior government officials opportunity to explore areas of cooperation such as agriculture, defence and security, transport and communications, tourism, environment, wildlife conservation and management, energy, health, sport and culture.
"I am pleased that the deliberations culminated in the finalisation of a number of bilateral instruments. These include renewed cooperation agreement between Botswana Oil and Petróleos de Moçambique and a Memorandum of Understanding on combating corruption," President Masisi said.
Additionally, Dr Masisi said he was encouraged that the two states were pursuing further cooperation in areas such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and access for Botswana beef in the Mozambican market. The Botswana-Mozambique Business Forum, held on the margins of the high level engagement between the two governments in Gaborone, was indicative of the two states' intention to foster closer collaboration and investment for their private sectors, President Masisi noted.
"Our great source of pride is our bourgeoning cultural cooperation. Indeed a historic milestone in our relations is the completion of the Samora Machel Museum in Lobatse. The museum will forever memorialise the solidarity and brotherhood exhibited by our forebears. It will go a long way in preserving our common cultural heritage as well as a joint investment into one another's destiny and posterity," he said.
President Nyusi on the other hand acknowledged Botswana's role in Southern Africa’s liberation struggle, and committed his country to a continual strengthening of ties with Botswana. ENDS