Ahmed Salem

Botswana's President, Doma Poko, arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, to participate in the summit of heads of state and government of the Southern African Customs Union.

As one of the oldest customs unions in the world, the Southern African Customs Union is a vital instrument for promoting regional development, competitiveness, and collective economic resilience.

Botswana is committed to working with other member states to open up broader horizons, strengthen regional value chains, and build an integrated economy that delivers tangible benefits to our citizens.

The future prosperity of our region lies in stronger partnerships, deeper integration, and a shared commitment to inclusive economic growth.

New partnership between Botswana and Lesotho

On another front, Botswana and Lesotho entered a new phase in their bilateral relations, following the meeting session The opening session of the joint bilateral committee between the two countries, which brought together President Douma Poko and Lesotho Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokwani Matekane.

The meeting witnessed a mutual affirmation of the importance of expanding cooperation in vital sectors that support sustainable development and promote regional integration in southern Africa.

In his opening remarks, President Douma Poko described the new committee as a platform to transform the historic friendship between the two countries into a practical strategic partnership aimed at improving the lives of citizens.

He stressed that Botswana and Lesotho are not only geographically close, but also deeply historical and culturally connected, and share a common vision for the future.

He also announced that Botswana would provide hundreds of thousands of doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine to Lesotho to help it cope with the first recorded outbreak of the disease within the country, considering this step to reflect the spirit of solidarity and brotherhood between the two peoples.

The Botswanan president pointed to broad opportunities for cooperation in the fields of agriculture, agricultural manufacturing, education, health, tourism, culture and creative industries, in addition to the emerging industrial hemp sector, where Lesotho has expertise that Botswana can benefit from.

He also called for investment in the knowledge economy and the use of modern technologies, while stressing the need to preserve cultural heritage and local knowledge in the age of artificial intelligence.

Among the most prominent issues discussed was the water transfer project between Lesotho and Botswana, which Boko described as a strategic priority to ensure his country's long-term water security. He also revealed South Africa's interest in joining the project, which could transform it into a trilateral initiative that strengthens regional cooperation.