Bilateral Cooperation Between Australia And Botswana

BILATERAL COOPERATION BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND BOTSWANA

Bilateral cooperation between Australia and Botswana is guided by the Plan of Action on Cooperation which was signed between H.E Seretse Khama Ian Khama and the Honourable Kevin Rudd during H.E Khama’s visit to Australia in March 2010. The two countries cooperate on trade and investment, mining, education and agriculture. These sectors are pivotal in the growth of Botswana’s economy.

Botswana also cooperates with Australia on the international fora such as the Commonwealth and the United Nations.

The following projects are ongoing in Botswana with the assistance of the Australian Government:

CAPACITY BUILDING ON BUSH FIRE MANAGEMENT

Due to her weather conditions, Botswana experiences devastating bush fires annually. The capacity building on bush fire management programme is a collaboration between the two governments aimed at building capacity in the area of fire fighting in Botswana in regards to skilled manpower and emergency response management. The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RSF) conducts the programme, which is now, in its second Phase. So far 650 trainess have graduated with Certificates on Basic Fire Fighting across the Botswana.

BIO SECURITY PROJECT

On 1 June 2010 the Honourable Christian De Graaf, Minister of Agriculture, Botswana signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Agricultural Production and Bio Security with his Western Australian counterpart the Honourable Terry Redman. The project is currently on-going in Botswana with the guidance and expertise of experts from the Australian Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA) to assist Botswana in the establishment of a plant quarantine and the National Strategy on Bio-security.

RESEARCH PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE COMPETITIVES OF SMALL SCALE BEEF PRODUCERS IN BOTSWANA HIGH COMMISION

The project is aimed at improving the improvement of small scale cattle producers in Botswana to compete effectively in the domestic and international markets.

LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Botswana continues to benefit from the legal capacity assistance through the regional Africa programs implemented by the Australian Federal Police and the Attorney General’s Department.

AUSTRALIAN FELLOWSHIP AWARDS

Botswana is a beneficiary of Australia’s extractive industries fellowship program which aims at equipping those in the mining sector with the skills to allow them to play a significant role in addressing research or developmental challenges in Botswana