25 Jan 2022

A six-member Zimbabwe delegation is in Botswana to learn about construction and management of sport facilities, among other things.

The visit is a result of a bilateral agreement by Botswana and Zimbabwe entered into in 2020.

The delegation would hold a series of meetings including with the sports ministry, Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) and private sport facility developers in addition to touring select facilities.

The meetings would discuss issues such as the approach to constructing facilities, ownership, maintenance, security considerations and commercial use versus sport development.

Botswana, in the recent past, did well in terms of building public facilities that included integrated sport facilities in Lobatse, Maun, Molepolole, Serowe and Masunga, Obed Itani Stadium in Francistown, University of Botswana (UB) Indoor Sports Hall as well as the UB and Otse Olympic size swimming pools.

Contacted for comment, BNSC CEO, Tuelo Serufho, stated that they were happy to host the delegation from Zimbabwe.

“First of all we are happy that in part, this visit ensures that the bilateral agreement between our two countries does not only remain on paper, but that we do get to implement commitments thereof.

Secondly and most importantly, we are happy that unlike what usually obtains, Zimbabwe has chosen neighbous to learn from as opposed to going outside the region.

We have a lot of similarities and our challenges are generally comparable; therefore we are the best people to carve out solutions to those,” he said.

Serufho said Botswana too would learn from the delegation.

The engagement between the two counties comes at a time when Botswana has plans to bid for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and therefore needs to critically think about the model of construction and or upgrading facilities, funding, security, maintenance and legacy.

The delegation, which comprises representatives from sports ministry, sport commission, and technical experts, arrived in Botswana on Sunday and scheduled to leave today. ENDS