Botswana: Botswana established diplomatic relations with Mongolia, Tajikistan and Saint Lucia during a signing ceremony at the Permanent Mission of Botswana to the United Nations (UN) in New York, United States of America on 6th December 2023.
The establishment of diplomatic relations between Botswana and the three (3) countries was operationalized by the signing of Joint Communiqués by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Botswana, Dr Lemogang Kwape and the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Amartuvshin Gombosuren, Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the UN, Jonibek Hikmat and the Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia to the UN, Menissa Rambally.
Botswana and Mongolia share common interests and endeavour to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation anchoring on already existing and close working relations within the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) at the UN.
In the same vein, the formalization of relations between Botswana and Tajikistan is of great importance due to shared interests at the bilateral level and at the UN where the two countries are strongly committed to the LLDCs agenda.
Diplomatic relations with Saint Lucia, a Caribbean country, will unlock opportunities for cooperation based on our shared interests, principles and ideals.
It should be noted the establishment of relations with the three countries follows the Government’s recent decision to establish diplomatic relations with thirty-four (34) countries. This is part of the efforts to advance Botswana’s interests abroad.
On 6th December, Botswana and the Federative Republic of Brazil held the 3rd Session of Political Consultations in Gaborone, co-chaired by Ambassador Pule Mphothwe, Deputy Permanent Secretary Bilateral Diplomacy, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Botswana and Ambassador Carlos Duarte, Secretary for Africa and the Middle East in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
The meeting reviewed and discussed the status of bilateral cooperation in various sectors as well as issues of mutual concern. Botswana and Brazil cooperate in the sectors of Health, Agriculture, Trade and Investment, Clean Energy, Defence and Security, among others.
The meeting also discussed progress regarding the draft Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation on National Prosecution Authority, Draft Treaty on Extradition, and cooperation in the field of Energy Planning.