Gaborone - Angolan head of State João Lourenço attends an official banquet to be hosted by his counterpart Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi this Friday evening in Gaborone, before ending his two-day State visit to Botswana, started on Thursday (20).
João Lourenço returns to Luanda on Saturday morning, according to the visiting official programme.
On Friday morning, the Angolan Statesman held a meeting with the host President Masisi to review the cooperative relations between the two countries.
The meeting was followed by a session of official talks between the delegations of the two countries, before a joint press conference was held.
The Angolan Statesman told a press conference that Angola will rely on Botswana's experience in the production, processing and trading of diamonds.
In his speech, João Lourenço highlighted the reforms implemented in the diamond sector in that southern African country and considered it an example for Angola to follow.
In turn, Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi described as “historic” the state visit to his country by his Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço.
Masisi highlighted the fact that President João Lourenço's state visit took place at a time when Angola is preparing to host the next ordinary SADC summit and assume the presidency of this regional organisation based in Gaborone, Botswana.
Pressident João Lourenço arrived in the Botswana on Thursday afternoon.
Angola and Botswana diplomatic relations date back to February 18, 1976.
In February 2006, the two countries signed a General Co-operation Agreement, with diamond sector coming as priority, along with education, health and the environment.
The two countries have as potential areas of co-operation the diamond, education, health and environment sectors. IZ/DAN/NIC
