Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma is scheduled to undertake a working visit to Botswana on Thursday that will review the state of cooperation between the two countries.
President Zuma and Botswana President Ian Khama will co-chair the Second Session of the South Africa-Botswana Bi-National Commission (BNC). South Africa hosted the inaugural session of the BNC in November 2013.
“It is expected that the two neighbouring countries will commit to the strengthening of bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation,” the Department of International Relations said on Tuesday.
Strong economic ties already exist between the two countries and South Africa remains Botswana's major trading partner.
South African companies have a huge presence in Botswana and are involved in various sectors including mining, housing, food and beverages, construction, retail, hotels and leisure, banking and medical services.
President Zuma will be accompanied by a delegation of eight ministers.
These include Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Energy’s Tina Joemat-Pettersson, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters, Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor, Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana, and Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
Meanwhile, Deputy President and SADC Facilitator Cyril Ramaphosa is back in the country after he made a short visit to Lesotho on Tuesday to monitor the implementation of the recently-signed facilitation declaration and the security agreement.
Deputy President Ramaphosa met Army Generals, Tlali Kamoli and Maaparankoe Mahao, who are expected to take a leave of absence by the November 21.
The generals will undergo working visits in their related fields of work in SADC or Commonwealth countries.
This was the Deputy President’s eighth visit to the Kingdom of Lesotho since the signing of the Maseru Facilitation Declaration and the Maseru Security Accord.
The declaration led the country's parliament being reconvened in October after its dissolution in December last year, and provides for elections to be held in February 2015. - SAnews.gov.za
