02 Sep 2025

A new partnership is imminent as the North West District Council and Uman City in Ukraine explore a twinning agreement that will foster international cooperation and share knowledge.

The impending collaboration follows recent visits between the Ukrainian ambassador to Botswana and the North West District Council. In an interview, the council secretary, Mr Thatayotlhe Balapi confirmed their interest in the partnership, saying the two shared similarities and believed they can benefit from shared expertise. 

Mr Balapi said the partnership would allow both partners to exchange knowledge, innovations and best practices in local governance and community well-being. He added that while specific details were still being finalised, areas of interest included agriculture, digitalisation, sustainable environment, particularly solar systems, tourism, education and cultural exchange.

He commended Ukraine for its advancements in the agricultural sector, noting its significant role in global food supply. He also highlighted Ukraine’s strong Information Technology (IT) sector, which he said was a key contributor to its economy, contributing significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and export revenue.

“We are ready to twin with Uman City because we believe we can benefit a lot from them. We hope to finalise our discussions this week with all relevant authorities and pave the way for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to be signed,” Mr Balapi said.

For his part, NWDC chairperson, Mr Itumeleng Kelebetseng said he was excited about the partnership, which he was hopeful would bring potential for socio-economic benefits for the entire district. He appreciated Uman’s rich cultural heritage and its significant economic role in central Ukraine.

Mr Kelebetseng expressed interest in strategic implementation and was grateful that the ambassador stressed the importance of turning the agreement into a practical action plan that benefitted the community.

“We are much willing to partner with the city and strategies on the implementation of the twinning partnership. I am grateful that the ambassador has emphasised that both parties should operationalise this arrangement into a working plan of action,” he said.

Also, he said he was optimistic that the partnership would promote investment and tourism. “The council is especially interested in Ukraine’s expertise in solar energy to meet local energy demands, particularly in remote and off-grid areas, where traditional power grids have limited access,” he said.

He further indicated that they had discussions about using drones in the tourism and health sectors and to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, which was an ongoing challenge for the district. ENDS