Presenting their letters of credence to President Duma Boko at the Office of the President on March 2, the diplomats emphasised that cordial relations must translate into tangible economic and social benefits.

The new Ambassador of Portugal Botswana, Mr Carlos da Costa Neves, said the country's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs would soon visit Botswana to explore areas of bilateral cooperation and discuss Portugal’s candidature for the 2026–27 United Nations Security Council term.

He noted that Portuguese businesses already had a footprint in neighbouring countries such as South Africa, Angola and Mozambique, and could consider expanding investment into Botswana.

Mr Neves added that he had initiated discussions with sports authorities in South Africa on football development partnerships and hoped to extend similar cooperation to Botswana, particularly in training football coaches and organising friendly matches at under-20, under-17 and women’s levels.

President Boko observed that Portugal, despite its relatively small population of about 10 million, enjoys a high gross domestic product and low unemployment levels, achievements Botswana aspires to emulate.

Turning to relations with Pakistan, President Boko urged High Commissioner, Mr Malik Farooq to encourage Pakistan’s strong textile industry to invest in Botswana. He said such investment could benefit from frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area and the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

Ambassador Farooq agreed on the need to expand trade volumes between the two countries, identifying mining, energy and agriculture alongside cultural diplomacy as promising areas of cooperation. He pledged to motivate Pakistani businesses to support Botswana’s economic diversification drive.

Meanwhile, the Ambassador of Somalia, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, expressed gratitude to Botswana for hosting approximately 200 Somali refugees and for the role played by the Botswana Defence Force in United Nations peacekeeping operations in the 1990s. He called for enhanced collaboration in trade and investment, mineral resource development, tourism, education and training.

The first-ever High Commissioner of Barbados to Botswana, Mr William MacDonald, highlighted similarities between the two nations, noting that both attained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 and had since progressed from modest beginnings to upper middle-income status.

He said Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, upon assuming office in 2018, prioritised establishing stronger diplomatic representation in Africa, and regarded President Boko as a like-minded leader.

President Boko reciprocated the sentiment, describing Prime Minister Mottley as a strong voice for the developing world, particularly on reform of international financial institutions and climate financing, and expressed willingness for the two leaders to meet for bilateral engagements. ENDS