1. On October 18, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin held a meeting with Lemogang Kwape, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Botswana, during which the two sides discussed Korea-Botswana relations, substantive cooperation, and bilateral cooperation on the global stage as well as regional situations.

2. Foreign Minister Park appreciated that since establishing diplomatic relations in 1968, the two countries have advanced their friendly relationship, sharing core values such as democracy, human rights and market economy. He expressed his pleasure over the unprecedentedly active high-level exchanges between the two countries. Foreign Minister Park also stated that as Botswana is politically stable, rich in resources, and economically developed, the country has greater potential for cooperation than any other country in Africa, and proposed to his Botswana counterpart that the two countries continue close communication for further cooperation. 

3. Foreign Minister Kwape thanked Korea for inviting him and stated that he was deeply impressed by Korea’s rapid economic growth. He also hoped that his visit to Korea will serve as an opportunity to concretize substantive cooperation between the two countries.

4. Foreign Minister Park mentioned that the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement has led to the growing interest among Korean companies in Botswana, which is known for its good governance and business & investment-friendly environment, and emphasized the need to expand trade and investment between the two countries. Foreign Minister Kwape hoped that Korean companies with world-class infrastructure construction capabilities will increase investment in Botswana, as exemplified by the Kazungula Bridge* built by Daewoo Construction at the Botswana-Zambia border.

* Daewoo Construction invested 150 million dollars between 2014 and 2021 to build the Kazungula Bridge over the Zambezi River at the Botswana-Zambia border. This bridge, approximately 923 meters in length, has contributed to reducing the time spent on distribution, from 7 days to 2 hours.

5. Foreign Minister Kwape expressed particular interest in cooperation with Korea in the field of water resources, mentioning his visits to the Korea Water Resources Corporation and the water purification facilities in Busan.

6. Foreign Minister Park requested Botswana’s support for Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan, and reiterated the invitation for President Masisi to attend the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit to be held in Seoul next year. Foreign Minister Kwape expected the summit to serve as a momentum for upgrading Korea-Africa relations as well as Korea-Botswana relations, and said that he would make his utmost efforts for President Masisi’s participation in the summit.

7. Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, the two ministers expressed concerns on North Korea’s unprecedented level of provocation. Foreign Minister Park said that a firm and united response from the international community is essential and looks forward to collaborating closely with Botswana to this end.

8. The Korea-Botswana Foreign Ministers’ meeting served as an opportunity to expand Korea’s substantive cooperation with Botswana, a representative democratic nation and resource-rich country in Southern Africa.