Dhaka, 10 February 2023:

The State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam, MP met with the Minister of Trade and Industries of Botswana Mr. Mmusi Kgafela at his office in Gaborone yesterday (09 February).

The Minister of Trade and Industry of Botswana, during the meeting, informed about the various industrial developments in Botswana. He underlined the need for contacts between the private sectors and trade bodies of the two countries and invited the Bangladeshi investors to invest in different sectors in Botswana. He urged that business personalities and chambers may be engaged more to enhance trade relations. He particularly mentioned the opportunities of contract farming by Bangladeshi investors in Botswana. 

State Minister Shahriar Alam referred to the traditional relations between Bangladesh and Botswana and narrated the remarkable achievements of Bangladesh in socio-economic sectors. He also informed the Botswanan side about the Vision 2041 of Bangladesh for translating into a developed and prosperous country. He maintained that the visit offered the opportunity to identify potential areas of cooperation in trade and Investment. Citing agriculture to be a vital sector of Bangladesh's economy, he proposed that Bangladeshi entrepreneurs can establish contract farming in the unutilized land in Botswana. 

The Botswanan specialized economic zones authority members made a video presentation on opportunities of investment in the various economic zones of Botswana. The Botswanan side invited Bangladeshi investors to invest in textiles, pharmaceuticals, leather, agro-processing and agricultural production areas in Botswana. They also expressed interest in exporting coal to Bangladesh. They invited Bangladeshi businessmen to participate in the next Botswana Global Expo. 

Both sides agreed to exchange trade and investment missions to each other's countries. The State Minister invited the Botswanan Trade and Industry Minister to participate in the 50th anniversary of the FBCCI to be held in Dhaka in March 2023.

The State Minister is on a two-day bilateral visit to Botswana. The Bangladesh delegation comprises the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to South Africa and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.