20 May 2026
- Cyril Ramaphosa will visit Botswana on May 20-21 for bilateral talks with President Duma Boko
- The visit comes as Botswana tries to accelerate economic diversification after a sharp slowdown in mining
- Trade, investment, energy, and regional cooperation are expected to dominate the agenda
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is travelling to Botswana this week on a state visit expected to focus on trade, investment, and regional cooperation at a time when Botswana is trying to reduce its dependence on diamonds.
Ramaphosa will be in Gaborone from May 20 to 21 at the invitation of Botswana President Duma Boko, according to an announcement released Sunday by Botswana’s presidency.
The two leaders are expected to hold talks during the sixth session of the Botswana-South Africa Bi-National Commission, a forum that oversees cooperation between the neighbouring countries on economic, political, and security matters.
A business forum bringing together companies from both countries is also planned during the visit. Officials say the goal is to encourage new investment and expand industrial partnerships between Botswana and South Africa.
Several agreements are expected in areas including energy, water management, tourism, science, innovation, and prison services.
Ramaphosa is also expected to visit the Botswana Vaccine Institute, which plays a central role in regional efforts to contain animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease.
The visit comes as Botswana faces mounting economic pressure after a slowdown in its mining sector, the backbone of the national economy.
The country’s economy shrank by 5.4% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to official figures, mainly because of a sharp drop in mining activity. Output in the sector fell by 47%.
In response, Botswana has been trying to speed up efforts to diversify the economy. Under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme launched in 2025, the government is prioritising sectors such as services, regional finance, and industrial development to reduce reliance on diamond revenues.
South Africa remains Botswana’s biggest trading partner. It accounted for 37.4% of Botswana’s imports and was the country’s leading export destination within the Southern African Customs Union in February 2026, according to Botswana’s statistics agency.
For Pretoria, closer economic ties with Botswana also help strengthen South Africa’s position as the region’s main industrial and commercial hub.
Source: https://shorturl.at/efJtL
