International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola and his Botswana counterpart, Dr Phenyo Butale, meeting at the 6th South Africa-Botswana Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Gaborone on Wednesday
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South Africa and Botswana have moved to deepen cooperation on livestock vaccine development and animal disease control, with the two countries backing a regional approach that includes the establishment of a Southern African vaccine bank and a trans-animal disease protocol.
The renewed cooperation on livestock vaccines and animal disease management is expected to support regional agricultural productivity, improve biosecurity systems and strengthen Southern Africa’s ability to respond to future outbreaks while boosting intra-African agricultural trade.
Speaking at the ministerial segment of the 6th South Africa-Botswana Bi-National Commission (BNC) on Wednesday, International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said the two countries had agreed to work together to strengthen regional capacity to tackle livestock diseases across the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) has already delivered two million doses of the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine to South Africa to date since the recent outbreak, and is scheduled to provide doses on a monthly basis.
Lamola congratulated Botswana for building vaccine manufacturing capacity for animal diseases at the BVI, describing it as an important step for regional agricultural resilience and food security.
“South Africa congratulates Botswana for building the capacity to manufacture vaccines for animal diseases at the Bovine Institute, which our President will have an opportunity to visit this afternoon,” Lamola said.
He added that both countries supported “a regional approach for the eradication of livestock diseases throughout the SADC region with the establishment of the Trans-Animal Disease Protocol and the Southern African Vaccine Bank”.
The initiative comes as Southern Africa continues to battle recurring outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and other livestock illnesses that disrupt agricultural trade, threaten food security and result in export restrictions for meat producers.
The renewed focus on vaccine production and disease management also forms part of wider efforts by both governments to strengthen agricultural cooperation and regional value chains.
Lamola said South Africa and Botswana had examined collaboration in agriculture and agreed to intensify efforts to promote investment and create conditions for companies to expand operations across both markets.
“South Africa is a major trade and investment partner of Botswana,” he said, noting that Botswana remained a key destination for South African agricultural products while simultaneously expanding its own farming sector.
“Our interests in this sector are complementary. They are not mutually exclusive, nor are they in competition or contradiction,” Lamola said.
He also praised Botswana’s National Development Plan 12, which prioritises economic diversification, export-led growth and job creation.
The BNC adopted draft agreed minutes containing more than 100 decisions that will be presented to the presidents of both countries.
Lamola said the discussions reflected the depth of bilateral ties rooted in “shared history, cultural and familial ties, geographic proximity, and unshaken determination to advance the common aspirations of our people”.
Beyond agriculture, the talks covered infrastructure development, mining, energy security, migration management and regional industrialisation.
Lamola said development finance institutions such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Industrial Development Corporation were engaging Botswana on transport corridors, water infrastructure and other strategic projects.
He also welcomed Botswana’s plans to establish a One-Stop Border Post at Tlokweng/Kopfontein to ease congestion and facilitate trade flows between the two countries.
Botswana’s Minister of International Relations, Dr Phenyo Butale, said the BNC demonstrated the “depth, maturity, and strength” of bilateral relations between the neighbouring countries.
“Our discussions were candid, constructive, and forward-leaning,” Butale said.
He said ministers had reviewed progress since the last BNC session held in South Africa in April 2022 and agreed on practical measures to strengthen implementation and monitoring mechanisms.
“We particularly welcome the commitments made to strengthen coordination, enhance information sharing, and improve implementation and monitoring mechanisms,” Butale said.
He stressed that both governments needed to move beyond dialogue and ensure measurable delivery.
“Our citizens expect more than dialogue. They expect tangible and measurable results,” he said.
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