11 May 2022

 The existing strong relations between Botswana and Zambia are important for SADC integration.
 President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said this yesterday after bilateral discussions with his Zambian counterpart, Mr Hakainde Hichilema in Cape Town, South Africa, where they were both attending the Investing in Africa Mining Indaba.
 He said the interaction with President Hichilema was fruitful as they sought to strengthen  cooperation in sectors such as transport and logistics as well as mining while  exploring mutually beneficial partnerships in other fields.
President Masisi said they explored ways of using their comparative advantage for their common good.
“We are looking ... to improve our bilateral cooperation in various fields, including mining as we have just emerged from the mining indaba, and other areas such as logistics, agriculture, education and various aspects of trade,” Dr Masisi said.
 Addressing the mining conference earlier in the week, President Masisi highlighted the importance of SADC states collaborating in mining, mineral beneficiation and downstream activities.
President Hichilema on the other hand stressed the importance of a peaceful and stable Southern Africa as the key to prosperity.
“I believe that security is stability and if we maintain a peaceful environment for our region that would lead to excellent socio-economic development,” Mr Hichilema said.
Botswana, completely surrounded by hostile white minority regimes at independence,  found a friend in Zambia which became the first Southern African country to have full diplomatic relations with the new state.
Botswana and Zambia were both instrumental in the formation of the Southern African Development Cooperating Conference (SADCC), the precursor to SADC.
The two states have also collaborated in the construction of the Kazungula Bridge, an important route for the transportation of goods and services within SADC and beyond.
“I am grateful for the productive discussions with President Masisi.  We discussed how Botswana and Zambia could collaborate more for our benefit and that of our region,” said President Hichilema.ENDS