Harare, (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa left for Botswana on Thursday to attend a meeting of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) of the two countries.

The is the second meeting of the Zimbabwe-Botswana BNC, the inaugural one having been held in Harare last year, marking the upgrading of ties between the two countries.

The BNC was upgraded from Joint Permanent Commission, chaired by foreign affairs ministers. The BNC is chaired by Heads of State.

According to the BNC programme, President Mnangagwa and his Botswana counterpart President Mokgweetsi Masisi will co-chair the final session of the commission, and witness the signing of at least seven agreements on co-operation between the two countries.

At last year’s BNC meeting, Botswana availed a financial facility to Zimbabwe’s private sector of BWP 1 billion to help local businesses to recover from years of economic downturn.

Six co-operation agreements in various areas were also signed.

Speaking in preparatory meetings in Botswana ahead of President Mnangagwa’s arrival, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo said the BNC had so far lived up to expectations.
New Ziana