27 Feb 2025

Botswana and Russia should continue to deepen and nurture bilateral relations which have long been established, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse has said.
During a courtesy call paid on him by Russia Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Mr Andrey Kemarskiy in Gaborone on Wednesday, Mr Keorapetse said Russia was ahead in technology, a sector that Botswana needed to develop.
He said Russia was a leading country in diamond production by volume while Botswana was leading in terms of value produced, which was another point of convergence through which cooperation could be harnessed.
The Speaker noted that the country was grappling with international market uncertainty which had resulted in Botswana diamonds failing to sell for 10 months.
 Also, he said Botswana had many citizens with exploration licenses for diamonds and other minerals who needed funding, another opportunity that Russia could chip in.
“Whilst I am not in charge of the ministry of minerals, I think it is a conversation that has to be struck with Russia,” he said.
 For his part, Ambassador  Kemarskiy said the new regime was doing an intensive work to make real changes in the socio-economic aspects of Botswana.
He admitted that cooperation could be mutually beneficial for the people of the two countries.
Mr Kemarskiy said the two countries had a history of cooperation in the mining sphere and hoped that they could overcome challenges in the international markets. He also wished for an opportunity to exchange experiences between the two counties’ leading mining companies, Debswana and Alrosa for the benefit of the people.
The Ambassador said  Russia had successful cooperation with Kimberley Process for a long time since the early 2000s. He said the country was a  two time chair of Kimberley Process, an experience that could come handy to Botswana.
Furthermore, Mr Kemarskiy said they had a successful relation in the field of education with over 200 Batswana students having studied in several Russian Federal Universities.He further said Russia had a scholarship for 30 students per year with the Botswana.ENDS