International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has called for deeper and more practical cooperation between South Africa and Botswana, as the two countries convened the Ministerial Session of the Sixth Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Gaborone on Wednesday.
Delivering opening remarks, Lamola emphasised that the identification of new and impactful areas of cooperation remains critical.
“Both our countries must continue to explore further opportunities and establish practical avenues for joint development in the mutual interest of our nations,” he said.
Lamola said stronger implementation of agreements and improved coordination would be central to the success of the bilateral relationship.
“As natural partners and reliable allies, South Africa and Botswana must continue to use the Bi-National Commission as an instrument through which we assess progress, resolve challenges and deepen cooperation,” he said.
Lamola expressed gratitude to the government of Botswana for its hospitality and reaffirmed the historic and fraternal ties between the two neighbouring countries.
“We also express our deep appreciation to the government and the people of Botswana for the warm hospitality extended to us since our arrival in this beautiful and historic city of Gaborone,” Lamola said.
He said the meeting took place at a time when both countries were expected to move beyond commitments and accelerate the implementation of existing agreements.
“This meeting takes place in a context where the people of our two countries expect us to work more closely and to achieve even higher levels of cooperation,” he said.
Strong trade ties, but a need for expanded investment
The Minister highlighted the strong economic relationship between the two countries, noting that South Africa remains Botswana’s largest trading partner.
According to the latest figures, total bilateral trade reached approximately R82 billion in 2025, with South Africa exporting R73.5 billion worth of goods to Botswana.
Botswana exported R7.7 billion worth of goods to South Africa, resulting in a significant trade surplus in South Africa’s favour.
Lamola said more than 100 South African companies currently operate in Botswana across banking, retail, mining, logistics and tourism.
He added that trade relations were “deeply integrated and mutually beneficial” but said both countries must expand cooperation in industrialisation and value chains to create more jobs.
Energy, minerals and infrastructure cooperation in focus
Lamola said energy security, mining and infrastructure development remain key pillars of cooperation between the two countries.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration on critical minerals, noting rising global demand and the need for African countries to ensure beneficiation and value addition.
“There is also a clear imperative to deepen cooperation in telecommunications, digital technology, financial services, tourism, hospitality, education and scientific cooperation,” he said.
South African development finance institutions such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) are already engaging Botswana on infrastructure and development projects, including transport corridors and water resource management.
Lamola also welcomed Botswana’s plans to establish a One-Stop Border Post at Tlokweng/Kopfontein, saying it would improve trade efficiency and reduce congestion.
Migration and regional stability
Turning to migration, Lamola said regional discussions must address both opportunities and challenges, including irregular migration and security concerns.
“Migration itself is not a problem. The challenge facing South Africa is irregular migration and a high influx of illegal foreign nationals or migrants,” he said.
He called for collective regional solutions, including burden-sharing among countries of origin, transit and destination.
South Africa, he added, continues to align itself with SADC and African Union protocols on the free movement of persons.
Four agreements set for signing
The BNC is expected to conclude several agreements, including four key instruments focused on water management, biodiversity, energy cooperation and correctional services.
Among them is a Memorandum of Agreement on joint management of water quality in the Limpopo River, aimed at improving human health protection, pollution detection and ecosystem preservation.
South Africa and Botswana are also working on a revised Search and Rescue Agreement, MoU on cooperation in energy, agreements on biodiversity management and tourism cooperation and multiple science, technology and innovation partnerships, including SANSA–BIUST and SARAO–BIUST collaborations.
Trade and integration agenda
The two countries are also advancing broader trade facilitation measures, including 24-hour border operations and improved sanitary and phytosanitary cooperation to ease agricultural trade.
South Africa supplies roughly two-thirds of Botswana’s imports, with agricultural exports alone accounting for about R14 billion of Botswana’s R15 billion agricultural import bill in 2025.
The Ministerial Session forms part of the Sixth Session of the Botswana and South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC), which will culminate in a Summit co-chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Gideon Duma Boko in Gaborone following preparatory meetings of Senior Officials and Ministers. – SAnews.gov.za
