02 Nov 2022

Botswana greatly appreciates the decision by the government of Algeria to raise the status of the Diplomatic Mission in Gaborone to a fully-fledged Embassy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Lemogang Kwape has said. 

Speaking at the 68th Anniversary of Algeria’s Independence celebrations held in Gaborone on Tuesday, Minister Kwape said the decision clearly demonstrated the commitment by the two countries to further strengthen their bonds of friendship and cooperation. 

Dr Kwape said the decision also indicated the two states continued to enjoy excellent relations and fruitful cooperation, adding that they were also looking forward to the convening of the inaugural Session of the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC). 

The JPCC, he said, would significantly facilitate discussion of issues of bilateral cooperation and to explore more areas to further broaden the cooperation agenda between the countries. Dr Kwape described Algeria’s commemoration as an important milestone. 

He commended the government of Algeria for significant socio-economic strides made thus far. Botswana, he said, could learn from Algeria as the country worked toward improving the socio-economic livelihoods of her people. 

Minister Kwape said Algeria was one of the largest economies in the Arab world and it continued to perform well in areas of science and technology, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, health and education among others. 

“We also commend your country’s contributions in the efforts toward lasting peace and stability, both in the African continent and at international levels. In particular, we admire your country’s assistance to the Saharawi and the Palestinian peoples in their quest for self-determination and independence,” Dr Kwape said. 

Algerian Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Mourad Adjabi said the 1st of November 1954 marked the beginning of the Glorious Algerian war of liberation, which lasted for almost eight years and led to the independence of the country on July 5, 1962, thus ending 132 years of French colonial rule. Mr Adjabi said Algeria boasted a thriving economy and robust infrastructure, with a projected nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) worth 181 billion US Dollars in 2022, which made Algeria’s economy the fourth largest in Africa. 

He said Algeria was charting a new path of cooperation with its foreign partners, which included Botswana, which it had shown by opening a fully-fledged embassy in Gaborone for the first time since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

Ambassador Adjabi said his government was determined to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two countries and their peoples and also expand them to encompass as many areas of mutually beneficial cooperation as possible in the nearest future. ends