25 Feb 2024

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi is the country’s principal diplomat and plays a crucial role in advancing Botswana’s foreign policy through promoting national interests at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Lemogang Kwape told Parliament on Friday that President Masisi's travels were to engage with his peers and potential partners and investors as well as to promote Botswana’s image abroad. He added that President Masisi was cultivating goodwill towards Botswana in the expectation that it would translate into cooperation and support towards the country’s development efforts.

Dr Kwape noted that President Masisi was assisted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, other cabinet ministers, ambassadors and high commissioners stationed at the country’s 23 diplomatic missions across the globe. He said diplomatic dividends from the engagements might not be immediately evident or measurable in monetary terms. The minister added that the most important outcome of diplomacy was the creation of an enabling environment in which business relations and partnerships thrived.

He said President Masisi’s international travels have consolidated Botswana’s position as a safe destination for investment and tourism, adding that the country has seen a steady increase in requests to host a plethora of international events as well as in the number of tourists visiting flagship tourist attractions.

He noted that in the past year President Masisi visited the United States of America, Cuba, Germany, Bahamas, Australia and the Swiss Confederation. He said President Masisi undertook a state visit to Switzerland from April 29 to May 5 2023 at the invitation of the President of the Swiss Confederation, President Alain Berset.

He said the visit culminated with the furtherance of the strong partnership between the two countries in promoting democracy. He also said the two countries committed to strengthen collaboration in trade and investment, value addition in the mining and agricultural sectors, technical and vocational education and training, health, arts and culture and financial services. Dr Kwape added the two leaders agreed to use Botswana as a gateway to the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market.

He also said President Masisi undertook a state visit to the Bahamas from 12-25 September 23 which resulted in the signing of bilateral political consultations agreements which would guide collaborations between the two countries on key political, economic and cultural studies. He said President Masisi also undertook a working visit to Australia from the September  5-8 2023 and that he met a range of stakeholders, noting that the President’s external engagements presented both short and long term benefits.

Furthermore, he said the engagements abroad ensured that the country was positively profiled internationally and that there was a continued increase of Batswana being placed in strategic leadership positions globally.

He also said the engagements were contributing towards building a business network and a direct link facilitating foreign direct investment and other developmental needs. He noted that Botswana received 162 cattle of different breeds from the USA to help improve the genetic profile of the country’s breeds. He added that the initiative was expected to increase production and income levels as well as facilitate and enhance food security.

Sefhare-Ramokgonami legislature, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang had asked the minister to update Parliament on the President’s external visits during the year 2023 as well as to state their nature.

The MP also wanted to know the longest time spent during the visit, total investments signed during the visits in monetary value and high ranking American officials who visited Botswana as a result of the President’s visit. ends