20 May 2025
President of Botswana Duma Gideon Boko is on an official state visit to Estonia this week. The event is a double first as not only is it President Boko’s first state visit since becoming Botswana president last November, but it is also the first official state visit by an African head of state to Estonia.
Estonia’s President Alar Karis said:
“Botswana is an important partner for Estonia in political dialogue as well as in business diplomacy and development cooperation.”
“We are also united by a strong belief in democracy and a world order based on rules. Estonian companies are interested in developing cooperation with Botswana partners in the field of digital technologies, and as a state, we’re happy to share the experience of our digital state in order to jointly promote innovation,” added President Karis, who along with First Lady Sirje Karis, visited Botswana last year.
President Karis welcomed the President of Botswana at a reception ceremony in front of the Office of the President of the Republic in Kadriorg on Tuesday, which was followed by a meeting of the presidents and a joint press conference.
The visit and its meetings are to focus on sharing Estonia’s experiences in e-governance, cyber security and digital services, economic and educational cooperation between the two countries, strengthening cooperation in international organizations, and the international security situation.
Botswana’s Minister of International Relations Dr Phenyo Butale, Minister of Communications and Innovation David Tshere, and the Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship Tiroeaone Ntsima are part of President Boko’s delegation.
President Boko is also set to meet Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) and Riigikogu Speaker Lauri Hussar (Eesti 200) and Chairman of Tallinn City Council Toomas Kruusimägi (Isamaa), and will lay a wreath at the foot of the War of Independence Victory Column in Freedom Square.
On Wednesday, the final day of the official visit, the Botswana president’s itinerary includes visits to the e-Estonia Showroom, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) and the Rakett69 Science Studio, and a state dinner at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, followed by an official farewell ceremony.
The President of Botswana is the first African President to make a state visit, the highest level of visits, to Estonia and the second African President to visit Estonia overall – in 2016 the president of Benin paid a working visit to the country.
Botswana is a large land-locked country in southern Africa and essentially the homeland of the Tswana people, who make up about 80 percent of the total population of 2.4 million. It is the world’s largest diamond producer, and also famous for its Okavango Delta, a UNESO World Heritage Site.
Source: https://rb.gy/f10vj4
