12 Dec 2024

As a nation that endeavours to reach the best possible standards of living for its citizens, Botswana is keen to glean on the experience of successful European states such as Switzerland and Finland, President Advocate Duma Boko has said.

Welcoming the new Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation, Mr Mirko Manzoni, and Finland envoy, Ambassador Pekka Metso as they presented their diplomatic credentials at the Office of the President yesterday, President Boko said Botswana may not replicate the Alps landscape, but the country sought to achieve the excellence associated with such states.

Noting that relations between Botswana and Switzerland had grown to the level of the reciprocal exchange of state visits by the countries’ former Presidents, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi and Mr Alain Berset, Advocate Boko said

Botswana would continue to engage the Swiss in such areas as health, education, innovation and information communication technology (ICT) and to ensure that the bonds that bind the two nations together remained strong.

Advocate Boko further noted that Finland had consistently been ranked as having one of the best education systems in the world, one that Botswana as a nation that aspires excellence would look to learn from.

For his part, Ambassador Manzoni of the Swiss Confederation said his country would look to boost its private sector participation in the Botswana economy, as he sought to introduce more Swiss companies to operate in the

Botswana market, and also to strengthen collaboration in the health sector.

Finland Ambassador Metso said he had already met with his country’s Chamber of Mines and with Finnish companies in a view of collaborate with Botswana in sustainable smart mining. He said he had also visited the Innovation Hub to explore how his country could participate in Botswana’s growth in the innovation sector.

He revealed that the world’s biggest technological start up event, Slush was held in Helsinki, Finland every year, and Botswana ICT companies could also leverage from such an experience.

Ambassador Metso said he was particularly looking forward to working with President Boko as they both came from a human rights advocacy background, and also lauded the country for being a model democracy, as recently epitomised by the peaceful democratic transition.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Henryk Jagodzinski, the newly assigned Ambassador of the Holy See (the central government of the Roman Catholic Church based at the Vatican City State), also presented his credentials to President Boko and conveyed good wishes from Pope Francis.

Advocate Boko said the country would consider it a great blessing if the Pope would extend a visit to Botswana. ENDS