Shared Prosperity and UN Collaboration: Key Outcomes from 2023 India-Botswana FOC

The fourth Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Botswana took place in Gaborone on December 14, 2023. The meeting witnessed Shri Puneet R. Kundal, Additional Secretary (East and Southern Africa), leading the Indian delegation and Ambassador Clifford Maribe, Permanent Secretary (Acting) in the Ministry of International Affairs and Cooperation, heading the Botswana side.

The meeting encompassed a broad array of subjects, including political exchanges, development partnerships, trade and investments, as well as consular issues. A pivotal outcome of the consultations was the mutual agreement to elevate bilateral cooperation, emphasising the shared prosperity of the people of India and Botswana and stepping up the cooperation at the UN. The Indian side, in a gesture of solidarity, reiterated an invitation to Botswana to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), which defines itself as a multi-stakeholder global partnership that aims to build resilience into infrastructure systems to ensure sustainable development..

India and Botswana have shared a robust diplomatic relationship since 1966. Trade has witnessed significant growth, and Indian companies, particularly in diamonds, express interest in Botswana's mineral-rich landscape. The Indian community plays a vital role in Botswana's economic development and cultural diversity. This FOC further fortified these diplomatic relations.