06 Jan 2025

Botswana and Ghana continue to enjoy excellent bilateral relations since Botswana attained independence in 1966, Minister for International Relations, Dr Phenyo Butale has said.

Speaking in an  interview ahead of today’s inauguration ceremony of the President-elect of Ghana Mr John Dramani Mahama, Dr Butale said  President Advocate Duma Boko would join other heads of state to witness the occasion.

He said in 2007 Botswana and Ghana established a joint permanent commission, adding that as relations continued to blossom, the intention was to have resident envoys in the two capitals of Gaborone and Accra.

“Botswana and Ghana continue to have a lot of exchanges and we are hoping that the two new administrations will take this to the next level,” he said.

Minister Butale said the political transition in Ghana happened at the backdrop of Botswana’s smooth transfer of power, where after 58 years of one party dominating, the reigns were handed over peacefully. 

He said Ghana as a much established democracy had seen the peaceful exchange of power a couple of times, including when President Mahama served his first term in office from 2012 to 2016.

Dr Butale said the incoming president, Mr Mahama came to Botswana for a three-day state visit in 2015. He said also in 2011 former president Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama came to Ghana on an official visit at the invitation of the then President, Mr John Attah Mills while the immediate former president, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi was in the country as head of the Commonwealth Observer Mission. These, he said signified strong relations the two countries shared.

He congratulated Ghana for continuing to show the way in terms of urging all political players to always respect the will of the people. 

He said he was fortunate to have been part of the African Union observer mission and Ambassador of the Pan African Parliament, where he witnessed the peaceful transition. He said this was a sign that African democracies continued to grow.

He urged the people of Ghana to continue showing the way as a leading democracy. He said Botswana was ready to improve on the excellent relations they had with Ghana.

Mr Mahama who previously served as the 11^th President of Ghana from 2012 to January 2017, takes over from President Nana Akufo-Addo who had served since 2017. 

This will be a historic occasion as President Mahama will be returning to power with the first ever-female vice president, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang. Ends