21 Jan 2024

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi is attending the 3^rd South Summit of the G77+China at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala, Uganda.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Lemogang Kwape said the two-day summit, which officially opened on January 18, would focus on developmental and economic issues and offer a platform to articulate and promote the collective interests of member states.

“These countries are aiming to work together for a better and prosperous future. They have good numbers and all what was needed was a forum to discuss and map the way forward,” he said.

Dr Kwape said summits such as the 3^rd South Summit presented opportunities to Botswana and other developing countries to make their voices heard.

He said part of the discussions was to make a call for reforms at the United Nations Security Council to include Africa, Asia and Latin America as permanent members of the council.

He said the summit would also provide member states with an opportunity to commit to collective action on matters of common interest. 

Dr Kwape said  it was impressive to have the summit on African soil as the continent was still pushing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agenda that would help in establishing stronger partnerships with the rest of the G77+China member states.

Held under the theme: Leaving no one behind, the summit looks to bring a new dynamic to the cooperation among its 134 members. The summit also aims to boost the Global-South cooperation in trade, investment, sustainable development, climate change and poverty eradication among others.

Dr Kwape noted that the coalition was initially started by 77 countries, but that now it had 134 member countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The G77+China has also called for the implementation of the Paris agreement on climate change and the 2030 Agenda on sustainable development.ends