Djuric: Serbia, Botswana can deepen cooperation in many areas

BELGRADE - Speaking to reporters after Friday's meeting with Botswanan Minister of International Relations Phenyo Butale, Serbian FM Marko Djuric said there was mutual interest in deepening the cooperation between Serbia and Botswana in many areas, including the economy, agriculture, education and digital technologies.

Djuric thanked Botswana for supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia regarding Kosovo-Metohija.

He welcomed Butale and added that he was on his first visit to Serbia.

"Strengthening the ties with the peoples and states on the African continent is a major priority for us, and a 55-year-long friendship is connecting us with Botswana. It began in the period when our country and Botswana were jointly supporting the liberation of the African continent," Djuric said at a press conference with Butale.

He said the meeting with Butale did not only confirm the long-standing friendship between the two countries, but also represented a new impetus to Serbia-Botswana cooperation "as part of our broader strategy for forging mutual ties, aimed at deepening political, economic, cultural, educational and overall ties between our two countries."

"We are especially grateful to our friends from Botswana for the support when it comes to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia," Djuric said, adding that he had informed the minister of current developments in Kosovo-Metohija.

He said Serbia and Botswana had a broader mutual understanding of a need to respect international law as the foundation for preserving equality and peace in the world.

"That is extremely important in these times," Djuric added.

He said there was "considerable space for advancement of cooperation also in the field of agriculture, given Serbia's potential in terms of exports of seeds and agricultural machinery and transfers of knowledge in the use of modern technologies in agriculture and modern techniques in crop farming."

"We believe there are excellent prospects for cooperation in IT as well, especially through transfers of knowledge in digital services and data management, as well as digital skills and building digital infrastructure," Djuric said.

Speaking about cooperation in education, Djuric said foreign students from 120 countries had taken part in the World in Serbia scholarship programme.

He also invited Botswana to take part in EXPO 2027 Belgrade.

Butale thanked Djuric for the hospitality and added that Serbia had vast experience with African countries.

He noted that Serbia had helped Africa during its struggle for liberation and maintained very close relations with African states.

He noted that Serbia and Botswana had much in common in terms of shared values, views and beliefs and respect for international law and also shared common views on territorial integrity.

Butale said Botswana wanted to cooperate with Serbia in innovation, digitalisation, education and other areas.

He added that Botswana was a small country known for diamonds and its beef exports to Europe.

He said Botswana wanted to be transformed and industralised and also wished to see Serbian entrepreneurs set up offices in Botswana to do business there, and added that his country was also seeking to cooperate with Serbia in the mining sector.