10 Apr 2024

Botswana holds the record for being the longest, most stable multi-party democracy in Africa as the country has held free and fair elections since the first ones in 1965.

Speaking during a courtesy call by French Secretary of State Development and International Partnerships, Dr Chrysoula Zacharopoulou yesterday, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said Botswana prided herself on that record and had no intention of letting go of it, hence the expectation of the next general elections in October as per the dictates of the Constitution.

President Masisi said Botswana intended to continue with the friendship and solidarity with France as the two countries shared common values and similar positions on multilateral issues.

“We also want to reinvest in engaging with France because your economy and scientific prowess are such that we would want to borrow a leaf from you,” he said.

He said that Botswana also had something to offer to France as it had land, minerals and a market as well as capacity, which Botswana wanted France to help develop.

“Since we have reached a level of competency and capacity, we need a different level of assistance, especially that we are now transitioning from resource to knowledge-based economy,” he said.

Dr Masisi therefore, called for a technological and professional assistance to push Botswana’s pursuit of Information, Communication Technology agenda.

He said that such assistance would come in handy in Botswana’s intention to pursue areas such as research in medical diagnostic and animal vaccines production.

Dr Masisi also stressed Botswana’s desire to assist in promoting peace and security in Africa, which he said could better be achieved with the cooperation of France.

“Botswana looks to France as a friend, to help in the  development of its jewellery, cologne and therapeutic industry as the French are well known in those fields,“ President Masisi said.

For her part, Dr Zacharopoulou said the friendship between the two countries was apparent during the tough period of COVID-19.

She said that her country would be glad to work with Botswana youth in areas such as creatives , which would be beneficial to young people from both countries.

Such, she said, was more so that the creative industry was a big sphere that France believed it had to invest in.

She also raised the need to accelerate cooperation on agriculture between the two countries. ends