19 Aug 2014

India High Commission Charge D’ Affairs, Mr Rishi Kapoor says Botswana and India will continue to enjoy cordial bilateral relations that the two countries have always had.

Speaking during India’s 68 independence celebrations in Gaborone on August 15, Mr Kapoor said Botswana stood to benefit more on economic relations because India’s new government was more business friendly.

He said India’s new government was more enthusiastic and very keen to develop India and other African communities, Botswana inclusive.

He further indicated that India will towards the end of this year host the India/Africa Forum Summit for African communities in an endevour to try to develop more strong economic relations with African countries.

On other issues, he said India held remarkably peaceful electoral process, a stable government with a clear majority for a single party after three decades. “The voter turnout to 66 per cent from the last election’s 58 per cent shows the vitality of our democracy,” he said.

Mr Kapoor said the current government has availed an opportunity to take up the challenge of governance by reforming the policies, practices and systems of governance so that people’s aspirations can be fulfilled with vision, commitment, integrity, speed and administrative capability.

He said good governance was critically dependent on the rule of law, participatory decision-making, transparency, responsiveness, accountability, equity and inclusiveness. Ends