10 Apr 2024

Botswana’s development journey has been all about peace and democracy which has worked well for the country.

This was said by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi during a courtesy call by French Secretary of State in charge of development and international partnerships, Dr Chrysoula Zacharopoulou at the Office of the President yesterday.

Dr Masisi said those were the pillars that Botswana held as its value proposition. 

He added that the pillars were founded on the country’s core resource being diamonds. “I would, therefore, plead with you to impress upon the G7 to seriously engage us and reconsider the proposition to have a single node in Antwerp,” he said. He said the move by the G7 would lead to a regression on Botswana’s development and would be  a threat to its existence.

He added that the regression would be in everything that the country based its growth on such as health and agriculture.

He said the decision, if finalised, also risked undermining stability and security in the country, adding that government did not believe that the G7 was intent on doing, but that they had not appreciated what the threats were to the industry, livelihoods and economies.

He pleaded with Dr Zacharopoulou to take up the issue with President Emmanuel Macron as the proposal was bad for the stability of all diamond producing countries.

On other issues, President Masisi said Botswana was a strong proponent of technological advancement and envisioned to be a strong contributor to that advancement. He said the country intended to develop greater scientific prowess and to upscale its laboratories to position herself as a powerhouse of solutions in Africa,  urging France to partner with Botswana in the journey.

On tourism, President Masisi hailed France for being one of the best destinations in the industry, saying Botswana would want to emulate that. He also pleaded with France to help educate the European public on Botswana’s circumstances concerning trophy hunting. “We do not brutalise animals, our hunting is controlled and pretty focused for a good purpose,” he said.

He said the fact that the country was the second driest in the region and forage stressed, but still had a lot of wildlife was testament that  the animals were not brutalised.

Dr Masisi also said it was his intention to voice the country’s position on the Pandemic Treaty. He noted that he had close and good links with all neighbouring countries and even beyond.

Dr Zacharopoulou had earlier said Botswana had a key role to play in the Pandemic Treaty which was still being negotiated. 

“Africans are there to propose solutions and give ideas in various areas, including the Pandemic Treaty, and that is why we have to construct things together as Europe and Africa,” she said.

She added that if the treaty was to be used as ‘one against the other’ this would defeat the philosophy of a treaty. ends