18 Sep 2022

Forging strong bonds with the international community will enable Botswana to be self-sustaining, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

 Addressing Batswana living in New York on Saturday, he said Botswana’s improved foreign relations were already yielding positive results citing construction of a vaccine manufacturing plant in collaboration with Texas-based NantWorks company.

  He said the collaboration would not only ensure production of COVID-19 vaccines but other medicines as well.

“Ï am well aware that my international travels have been questioned by many.  It is however of great importance to highlight that my travels are motivated by my desire to improve the livelihoods of Batswana,” President  Masisi  said.

He said it was through such travels that he met NantWorks chief executive officer, Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong and other captains of industry in an effort to lure direct foreign investors and develop strong bonds that would be of great benefit to the citizenry.

“The advent  of COVID-19 was an eye-opener for Botswana as it triggered the country’s desire and commitment to embark on vaccine manufacturing, and  we have to close all gaps in ensuring that we are never caught unawares,” he said.

Dr Masisi said as the country’s chief diplomat,  his job was to create friends for Botswana hence promoting Botswana’s interests remained a number one priority. 

He stressed the importance of giving a reasonable return on investment, social entrepreneurship and development partners’ goodwill. 

“Ï always go around telling the story of Botswana being open and transparent to partners as well as learning from the ideas of others for the betterment of the nation, hence recognition by the United Nations with a silver tier award in 2021,” he said.

President Masisi stated that apart from diplomatic ties, Botswana had similarly forged relations that facilitated trade such as by being a signatory to the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement.

The agreement, he said, offered a golden opportunity to open new horizons for regional economic cooperation in Africa. ends