25 Sep 2022

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s recent livestock industry benchmarking mission to Texas, US has yielded results.

 “It is pleasing to note that the Texas mission resulted in Botswana securing close to 10 000 straws of high breed semen which will go a long way in improving the quality of livestock locally.

 I can proudly state that the glorious days are here for livestock farmers in Botswana, since government is advocating for Batswana to restructure their cattle rearing,” President Masisi told BOPA in an interview.

He said livestock embryo transplant and semen milking as well as livestock vaccines production were exportable services.

 Agriculture therefore had an important role in the transformation to the envisaged  export-led economy, said Dr Masisi.

While in Texas, the President also visited the Baylor College of Medicine, where the major focus was improvement of Botswana’s health sector.

The Texas visit, which was part of the President’s six-day working tour in the US,  preceded a stop in New York the highlight of which was his address to the 77th UN General Assembly.

Prior to the UN event, President Masisi met with some Batswana in the diaspora and among other things, updated them on government’s determination to attain self-sustenance and commitment to citizen economic empowerment.

The President emphasised the importance of forging strong bonds with the international community.

Also on President Masisi’s itinerary was attendance of an event marking the 7th replenishment of the Global Fund to fight TB, Malaria and HIV/AIDS where he declared Botswana’s intention  to improve on the silver tier certification it was awarded by WHO in 2021.

The award recognises Botswana for being the first high-burden country to reach key milestones in eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission.Still in New York, the President received the Africa-America Institute’s 2022 national achievement award on behalf of Botswana in recognition of its commitment to democracy and regional stability as well as the importance it attached to education, healthcare and youth development.Accepting the award, President Masisi said it came at an opportune moment when Botswana had  embarked on a transformative journey from resource to knowledge based economy.

He also met with Rutgers University president, Mr Jonathan Holloway and the two discussed the priority areas Botswana and the university have agreed to partner in.They include providing training and developing curricula towards the creation of a knowledge-based economy, equipping  the workforce to address key regional challenges and collaborative research.

The partnership will see the establishment of a knowledge hub in Botswana which will use the same technology used at Rutgers University. ENDS