22 May 2022

Botswana’s developmental success story is partly due to her relations with the international arena and global solidarity, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

Speaking at the state dinner in honour of Botswana and foreign envoys recently, President Masisi said Botswana’s national interests were inextricably linked with those of the world hence international solidarity remained a key component towards attaining national interests.

He thanked envoys for the indispensable support and assistance that Botswana continued to receive from other countries and international organisations.

“Your contribution is much desired in the country’s pursuit of fulfilling promises made to its citizenry,” he said.

He added diplomats were key in establishing and nurturing strategic partnerships as well as forging collaborations with other countries, and was thus hopeful that they would do their part in supporting government’s development agenda.

President Masisi said he was happy that Botswana’s envoys had been able to leverage their presence in the countries of accreditation and coverage by soliciting assistance and understanding strategic partnerships in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thus he said, relations with other countries and multilateral institutions were deepened and diplomatic activities broadened.

“I wish to once more reiterate my faith in diplomacy for its intellectual utility and stewardship in international policy. My hope is for it continue to be dynamic and be in a state of perpetual renewal,” he said.

President Masisi called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to rethink diplomacy to maintain relevance and also be articulate enough to be able to assess what the complexities presented in the international context meant for their home countries and further assess issues of governance, peace and security and democracy.

“As international service providers the ministry and their envoys should expend time leveraging on partnerships that produce tangible and beneficial outputs, through international fora such as the World Economic Forum (WEF) where there is space to engage with the best in entrepreneurship,” he said.

Further, President Masisi said government still prioritised reducing unemployment, particularly among the youth and also focused on poverty eradication that disproportionately affected children and women and further make easy procedures of doing business in Botswana.

President Masisi said, a re-commitment to delivering promises had found expression in the recent government strategies such as the Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan (ERTP), Resent Agenda and the rationalisation of government which had resulted in the creation the Ministry of Entrepreneurship.

“The expectation is for the new ministry to unlock opportunities for new growth companies in the private sector and create youth employment amongst other citizen empowerment attributes.

The ministry will also identify new sectors in the global export product space that we can successfully grow in Botswana, resulting in driving the much needed export diversification,” President Masisi said. ENDS