05 Mar 2025

Botswana is inspired by Kyrgyzstan, (Kyrgyz) Republic’s achievements.

Acting President, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe said this during a courtesy call by Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Mr Edil
Baisalov in Gaborone, yesterday.

The Kyrgyz Republic is a landlocked middle-income country in Central Asia, with a population of seven million people.

The country gained independence in 1991, and post-independence economic reforms cut poverty and availed economic opportunities for its people.

“Botswana is inspired by Kyrgyzstan, by what a country with a small population such as yours has been able to achieve
particularly in recent times,” said Mr Gaolathe.

He said government was aware of the economic strides the country was making, robust economic development and transformation taking route in Kyrgyz and the digital strides
the country was making with all services provided digitally.
Mr Gaolathe said Kyrgyz was an inspiration to Botswana as they were both landlocked countries.

Kyrgyz have turned land-lockedness into an advantage of
land-linkedness, and Mr Gaolathe said Botswana was looking to take leaf from the Central Asian country.

He said Botswana was re-thinking the type of partners it
needed as it transformed.

“We are looking for partners that are ambitious like ourselves, partners looking into long-term relationships, who have a depth of knowledge, insight, experiences that can add value to our journey,” said Mr Gaolathe.

He emphasised that Botswana needed partners with tremendous resources, ‘money even, partners that want to be part of our narrative, partners who will take joy in the things that give Batswana joy’ like the God-given resources available in the country, among them the Okavango Delta.

Also, Mr Gaolathe shared the challenges that Botswana faced, highlighting high unemployment as one of them.

However, he said government was hopeful that the nation would be able to rise above the challenges and build the best managed country in the continent, which was a paragon
of unity, fairness and prosperity.

For his part, Mr Baisalov applauded Botswana on her democratic transition, saying the country had demonstrated its stability by holding transparent, free and fair elections in 2024.

He said the two countries had shared ideas on identified areas for collaboration in his earlier meetings with Minister of International Relations, Dr Phenyo Butale.

“I am glad that in Botswana we have found a dynamic administration, with a remarkable team of business-like people,” Mr Baisalov said, adding that was expected of a young administration.

He expressed confidence that going into the future, Botswana would be a reliable partner for his country in Southern Africa and likewise Botswana would have a great
partner and friend in Central Asia. ENDS