Lazarus Chakwera, Mokgweetsi Masisi strengthen ties
Malawi and Botswana have agreed to support each other’s interests in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region for the mutual benefit of the two member states.
Botswana is the Chairperson for the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security while Malawi would be chairing Sadc in five months.
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi was in the country Monday for a one-day working visit, during which he held bilateral discussions with President Lazarus Chakwera at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
After the talks, the two held a press briefing at the Palace, before Masisi left Malawi for his home country.
Chakwera indicated that the two countries had a number of areas of mutual interest.
“Secondly, Malawi and Botswana cooperate in the areas of mining, tourism, agriculture and education… In this regard, President Masisi and I are keen to see that resolution materialise,” Chakwera said.
The two leaders have since agreed to open missions on each other’s territory to further strengthen bilateral ties.
Masisi indicated that there was a need to broaden areas of mutual cooperation.
“We want to go beyond the established agreement of the cooperation. We are in the era of Covid [and] we want to collaborate with Malawi with respect to research and all aspects of managing Covid,” Masisi said.
The Botswana President added that there was also a need to broaden aspects of cooperation in different areas, including science, technology, innovation and fisheries.
He also came with a request for Malawi to support his Secretary to the Cabinet Elias Magosi to lead Sadc as Executive Secretary.
Masisi is the first head of State to visit Malawi since Chakwera became President last year.
State Vice-President Saulos Chilima welcomed him at Kamuzu International Airport.
Mathews Kasanda is a journalist who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from University of Malawi (The Polytechnic).
In 2015, Media Institute of Southern Africa awarded him the Best Print Media Education Journalist of the Year accolade.
He joined Times Group Newsroom in September 2019.
