09 Jun 2013

Angola’s Secretary of State for Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Ms Angela Braganca on June 7 paid an official visit to Presidential Affairs and Public Administration minister, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

During his meeting with the delegation, Mr Masisi who also acts as minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said he was aware that the Angolans were in Botswana for a short visit and was called to attend an urgent summit that had since been postponed.

Mr Masisi was referring to the Southern African Development Community summit that was supposed to be in Maputo, Mozambique on June 9.

He informed the delegation that government has a very harmonious relationship with the Angolan Embassy in Botswana.

“The closest we come to is to do with the programme I run on poverty eradication,” he said.

For her part, Ms Braganca said their short visit was meant to tap from Botswana’s experience on how the country became a medium income country.

“We want to get your advice in relation to this process and of course to also talk about our two countries’ relations.”

Angola’s Secretary of State for Cooperation also informed Mr Masisi that her delegation had a very fruitful discussion with other officials from ministries in Botswana.

While in Botswana, the delegation attended a High Level Consultation Committee (HLCC) meeting led by Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation deputy permanent secretary, Mr Gaeimelwe Goitsemang on June 6.

The HLCC meeting was also attended by a Botswana team that was constituted in a manner which identified the key areas that were critical with Botswana’s relations with Angola.

Besides providing an opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relations shared by both Botswana and Angola, the Angolan delegation’s two day visit also created an opportunity for the two states to discuss other areas of cooperation in areas such as; trade in services, bilateral agreement on investment protection and promotion and bilateral air service agreement, exports of beef to Angola and export of live cattle to Angola through the Maun and Lubango route.ENDS