Macut meets with Botswanan president in Dubai

DUBAI - Serbian PM Djuro Macut met with Botswanan President Duma Boko in Dubai on Tuesday to discuss strategic interests of the two countries and opportunities for further advancement of bilateral cooperation.

Macut and Boko met on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit.

"During the meeting, Botswana’s interest in cooperation with Serbia in the fields of education, healthcare and security was particularly highlighted, with an emphasis on the transfer of knowledge, experience and best practices in these sectors," the Serbian government said in a statement.

"Prime Minister Macut underlined Serbia’s readiness, based on decades of friendship and mutual trust, to contribute to the development of institutional and professional cooperation with Botswana.

The interlocutors assessed that today’s meeting represents a continuation of the intensive political dialogue between the two countries, further confirmed during the November meeting between Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric and Botswana’s Minister of International Relations Phenyo Butale, when mutual interest was expressed in deepening cooperation in the areas of the economy, agriculture, education, digital technologies and innovation.

Prime Minister Macut expressed gratitude to Botswana for its consistent support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia, noting that such a principled stance constitutes a firm foundation for partnership relations and respect for international law.

The meeting confirmed that Serbia and Botswana are linked by more than five decades of friendly relations, based on shared values, solidarity and historical partnership dating back to the period of African nations’ struggle for independence," it said.

The parties said there was "significant potential for further strengthening cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally, in the interest of the citizens of both countries."

The meeting was also attended by Botswanan Minister of International Relations Phenyo Butale and Minister of Defence and Security Moeti Caesar.