21 May 2024
Seychelles and Botswana will continue collaborations in agriculture, education, and tourism, said the newly accredited High Commissioner of Botswana. Chandapiwa Nteta presented her credentials to Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan on Tuesday at State House.
The new high commissioner expressed her wish to gain Seychelles’ support from the international community “as Botswana has some issues with our diamonds.”
An import restriction imposed by the Group of Seven (G7) on Russian diamonds earlier this year will have a detrimental impact on Botswana’s diamond trade. Okavango Diamond Company in Botswana has asked the G7 countries to reconsider the second phase as it will impact diamond producing countries such as themselves and raise the price of ethical diamonds.
Nteta met the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, and among the subjects discussed were trade, investments and connectivity, especially the signing of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement.
According to the Foreign Affairs Department, Radegonde pointed out that both countries share a very good bilateral relationship where fruitful exchanges have been made. These include Seychellois teachers pursuing their tertiary education in Botswana and teachers from Botswana working in Seychelles’ state schools.
To date, over 50 teachers graduated from the University of Botswana and around 20 teachers from Botswana were sent to Seychelles to teach in various primary and secondary schools.
“Botswana is interested to learn from Seychelles’ experiences in dealing with victims of substance abuse and rehabilitation process, Seychelles is keen to learn more from Botswana’s agricultural success,” said the Foreign Affairs Department.
The two diplomats also discussed matters relating to regional engagements and organisations in which both countries are members.
While in Seychelles, the high commissioner will also call on the Minister for Education, Justin Valentin, the Commissioner of Police, Ted Barbe, and other high level officials.
Botswana and Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, established diplomatic relations on September 30, 1988.
