22 Nov 2021

A team of French researchers and academics is in Botswana for a joint excavation mission with their Botswana counterparts at the Qchwihaba, Koanaka and Aha caves in Okavango.

The purpose of the excavation mission is to find evidence of new cradle of humanity in Botswana.

When welcoming the researchers recently, French Ambassador to Botswana, Ms Laurence Beau said the archaeology cooperation would be headed by Dr Laurent Bruxelles, who would work with thirteen Batswana researchers, curators and the University of Botswana students.

“Dr Bruxelles has always expressed a great interest in the fascinating archaeological sites in Botswana and I extend many thanks to the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism and the Botswana Museum,” she said.

Ambassador Beau also said Dr Bruxelles had brought an interdisciplinary team of geologists, paleontologists and archaeologist to explore the caves, adding that the mission would be an opportunity for a very promising scientific collaboration.

She also said there was no doubt that the scientific collaboration would have a significant worldwide impact, should it produce more evidence.

“The French embassy in Botswana is honoured to contribute to putting Botswana’s rich natural heritage and cultural sites in the spotlight,” she said.

The ambassador said Botswana’s two world heritage sites, Tsodilo Hills and Okavango Delta, were situated where the research would be carried out.

For his part, Dr Bruxelles, a Geo-Archaeologist and researcher at the France National Centre for Scientific Research, said they were excited about the scientific bilateral cooperation, adding it would open opportunities for Botswana, as it was conducted by researchers who had done similar research in other parts of Africa, and recently in South Africa.

Dr Bruxelles said the research, which would be televised by two France television stations, would also give the world the opportunity to know about the caves, therefore boosting Botswana’s tourism.

He thanked Ambassador Beau and Botswana for having invited them to undertake the excavation.

He said as an archaeologist researcher and a caver, he had for the past years, also worked in many African countries which include; South Africa, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Djibouti, Morocco, Namibia and Mozambique as well as other parts of the world like Belgium, Bulgaria, China and Iran.

Dr Bruxelles said they would  also have a book project about the Botswana caves, adding, ‘this will be a great tourism development for Botswana’.

He also said some valuation would be conducted at the site, while the national television in France, would in a week, have several minutes about what they would be doing in Botswana. ENDS