20 Sep 2022

Botswana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are committed to enhancing bilateral relations and expanding existing areas of cooperation, says Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Lemogang Kwape.

Speaking in an interview following a meeting with his UAE  counterpart, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Dr Kwape said because of the strong ties existing between the two countries, there was a huge potential to extend the scope of bilateral trade and partnerships in various sectors.

Dr Kwape said the two countries attached a lot of importance to their diplomatic relations which were premised on shared values of democracy,  mutual respect and understanding as well as continuous pursuit of sustainable development. 

Significant progress in enhancing bilateral relations had already been made in the areas of investment promotion missions, mining as well as events hosting and hospitality, he said.

The minister said the two countries relations were further nurtured during Botswana’s  participation at the Dubai Expo. 

The expo created a foundation for Botswana entrepreneurs to trade with their UAE counterparts and establish business partnerships, said Dr Kwape.

He mentioned that a UAE  entrepreneur had expressed interest in investing in the Lobatse dairy  project. Apart from maintaining a progressive, collegial and friendly disposition over the years, Dr Kwape said the two countries had also enjoyed each other’s support at multilateral level.

Prior to meeting the UAE delegation, Dr Kwape had met the American-Jews community and informed them of Botswana’s firm belief in the rule of law, self-determination and respect of sovereignty. Ends