The President of Botswana, Duma Boko, recently visited the Sultanate of Oman to meet with the Sultan and Prime Minister, Haitham bin Tariq. The meeting aimed to strengthen bilateral relations and resulted in agreements spanning solar energy, minerals, and oil, reinforcing both diplomatic and economic ties.
In an interview with the media at the National Museum of Oman, Boko expressed confidence in the outcome of the discussions, describing the visit as the beginning of a long-term partnership between the two nations.
“We need to cement and deepen the relationship between the Sultanate of Oman and Botswana in specific areas of mining, energy, green energy generation and fuel. To generate fuel security for Botswana with the able assistance and participation of the Sultanate of Oman. Those were the key areas which were discussed today, in relation to which far-reaching agreements were concluded today,” he said.
It is reported that Botswana is set to develop a 500-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant with battery storage as part of an investment of at least $16 billion. The partnership also includes a joint mineral exploration agreement targeting copper, gold, graphite, and iron ore.
In addition, Botswana plans to open an embassy in Oman, underscoring the commitment to deepening bilateral relations.
“The decision to open an embassy has already been taken, efforts have already begun and are at an advanced stage, and the hope and expectation is that by the end of this year, the embassy in Oman will be fully operational. And from that, will flow obviously, direct person-to-person contact and air transportation between the two capitals, Muscat and Gaborone,” said Boko.
The President added that the partnership is expected to unlock further collaboration in sectors such as health, academic exchange, and cultural exchange.
In other news, Kemcore, a chemical trading and manufacturing company focused on Africa, is also expanding its footprint by constructing new processing plants in Botswana and Angola. Read more HERE.
