08 Jun 2023

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Gladys Mokhawa, says Botswana is fully committed to nurture closer cooperation with the  African Union to promote the continent’s economic growth.

Launching the ministry’s Foreign Policy Conversations programme, Dr Mokhawa said Botswana’s recent ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement underscored the country’s commitment to the AU agenda to foster intracontinental trade among African states and improve the continent’s position in the global economy.

“To honour this milestone and support the continent’s vision of realising an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens, it was fitting to anchor the inaugural session on a key flagship of AfCFTA in line with Agenda 2063,” she said.  

Dr Mokhawa said the Foreign Policy Conversations programme would provide an opportunity to exchange views and lessons, and give voice to ways in which African solutions could enhance livelihoods of people on the continent.

She explained that the programme was  part  of the  ministry’s  public  diplomacy  agenda which  served  to enhance Botswana’s  relations  with  the community of nations. 

She underscored that the country’s foreign policy is underpinned by commitment to promotion of international norms that advance good governance, sustainable development, democracy, international peace and security.

The AU Commission’s vice chairperson, Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa, commended Botswana for her commitment to the AfCFTA. She said it was imperative to accelerate the implementation of AfCFTA in order to give effect to one of the founding objectives of the AU, which was to coordinate and intensify cooperation among African countries to improve the livelihoods of all Africans.

Nsanzabaganwa said one way to accelerate realisation of African unity was through Agenda 2063, which is AU’s masterplan to transform Africa into a global powerhouse of the future.

 “It is against this backdrop that the AU is this year committed to accelerate implementation of AfCFTA to ensure that it enhances Africa’s economic position,” she said.

However, she noted that there were a number of impediments to prompt implementation of the AfCFTA, which include slow recovery from COVID-19 and the impact of climate change on agricultural production. She observed that these factors had an adverse impact on both intracontinental and international trade by African states.

“Africa currently accounts for 17 per cent of the global population and only 3 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product, as well as 2.7 percent of global trade,” Nsanzabaganwa noted. 

“These factors should demonstrate the urgent need to accelerate implementation of AfCFTA.”

She emphasised one of the aspirations of Agenda 2063 is to build Africa whose development is people-driven and relies on the potential of Africans, especially women and youth.  Ends