WASHINGTON —
Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai begins a two-day State visit in Botswana Wednesday where he will hold his first bilateral talks as a government leader with President Seretse Khama Ian Khama.
Representatives from the finance, transport, water and agriculture ministries form part of Mr. Tsvangirai's delegation.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka, told VOA some of the issues to be discussed include the $64 million credit line facility signed by the two countries recently, the opening of a new border post and the possibility of Harare and Gaborone embarking on a critical joint water project to save drought-stricken regions in the two countries.
“The other issues include discussions around the implementation of the agreement on the control of foot and mouth disease, opening of the Mamabaka & Malambele border posts; and the tripartite agreement between Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to develop a rail link and port for the transportation for coal and other commodities from the three countries to the eastern markets," Tamborinyoka said.
According to press reports, Mr. Tsvangirai will also brief Khama on the political situation in Zimbabwe, including recent statements by senior Zanu PF officials and an army general that they will not recognize the MDC-T president if he wins the next election.
Although Tamborinyoka confirmed Mr. Tsvangirai will have a private discussion with the Botswana president on the sidelines of the government program, he could only say the Prime Minister will update Mr. Khama on developments in Zimbabwe, especially the just-ended Second All Stakeholders Conference on the new constitution.
Mr. Khama, one of the Southern African Development Community Heads of State who are guarantors of the Global Political Agreement in Zimbabwe, invited the Zimbabwe Prime Minister for the two-day working visit.
Representatives from the finance, transport, water and agriculture ministries form part of Mr. Tsvangirai's delegation.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka, told VOA some of the issues to be discussed include the $64 million credit line facility signed by the two countries recently, the opening of a new border post and the possibility of Harare and Gaborone embarking on a critical joint water project to save drought-stricken regions in the two countries.
“The other issues include discussions around the implementation of the agreement on the control of foot and mouth disease, opening of the Mamabaka & Malambele border posts; and the tripartite agreement between Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to develop a rail link and port for the transportation for coal and other commodities from the three countries to the eastern markets," Tamborinyoka said.
According to press reports, Mr. Tsvangirai will also brief Khama on the political situation in Zimbabwe, including recent statements by senior Zanu PF officials and an army general that they will not recognize the MDC-T president if he wins the next election.
Although Tamborinyoka confirmed Mr. Tsvangirai will have a private discussion with the Botswana president on the sidelines of the government program, he could only say the Prime Minister will update Mr. Khama on developments in Zimbabwe, especially the just-ended Second All Stakeholders Conference on the new constitution.
Mr. Khama, one of the Southern African Development Community Heads of State who are guarantors of the Global Political Agreement in Zimbabwe, invited the Zimbabwe Prime Minister for the two-day working visit.