Gaborone — Having had good diplomatic relations since the mid-1970s as sister Southern African Development Community (SADC) states, Botswana and Angola now seek to have tangible economic partnership, the Presidents of the two countries have said.
Presidents Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi and his Angola counterpart, Mr João Lourenço said this while addressing a press conference at the Office of the President in Gaborone on July 21, after they held tête-à-tête followed by formal official talks involving their cabinet ministers.
President Masisi said having experienced minority Portuguese colonial rule that lasted until 1975, Angola then experienced 27 years of civil war that was fuelled by external factors, which damaged physical infrastructure, human development and destabilised the potential of trade links with neighbours like Botswana.
But, now benefiting from the peace dividend, the historic state visit by President Lourenço had offered the two states the opportunity to discuss improved economic cooperation, in areas such as the energy sector, petroleum and gas, green energy, hydropower, diamond beneficiation, animal vaccine and the cattle industry among others, the two Presidents revealed.
They further said Angola and Botswana agreed in principle to work on improving road connectivity between the two nations' capitals, Gaborone and Luanda, in order to facilitate enhanced delivery of goods and services between the two states.
It was revealed that Angola sought to restock its animal and cattle herd that had been ravaged by the civil war, and this would supplement prior agreement with Chad, one of the African countries with the largest herd of cattle and beef production volume.
"This would include Angola importing semen and embryos, which are easier to carry than live cattle as well as the exchange of skills and value chain of the cattle industry," said President Masisi.
He said Angola would also get 8 000 cattle from Botswana, which could possibly reproduce to a much larger herd over time.
President Lourenço added that investing in improved ports, airports and road infrastructure as well as the revamping of the infrastructure connecting Botswana and Angola would lead to mutually beneficial trade.
BOPA
