Botswana and Mozambique are pushing to upgrade their Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) to a Binational Commission, as the two countries seek to deepen bilateral cooperation and ensure that existing agreements deliver practical benefits for their citizens.
The proposal emerged during the opening of the ninth session of the Botswana-Mozambique JPCC in Gaborone on Wednesday, which brought together senior officials from both countries to review progress and chart the way forward.
FROM NEGOTIATION TO IMPLEMENTATION
Mozambique’s Director for Africa and Middle East, Ambassador Hermenegildo José Caetano, said the focus should now shift from negotiating agreements to ensuring that those already concluded are implemented.
He said the proposed Binational Commission would provide a stronger framework for strategic and economic cooperation, with the aim of delivering sustainable mutual benefits to both countries.
The meeting followed a mid-term cooperation evaluation held in Maputo in April, which assessed progress made since the 8th Session of the Joint Commission in July 2024.
Ambassador Caetano said significant progress had been recorded in several areas, including defence cooperation, negotiations surrounding the Ponta Techobanine Project, and efforts to strengthen economic cooperation.
He also revealed that the two countries are working towards establishing a Permanent Joint Defence and Security Commission.
EIGHTEEN DRAFT AGREEMENTS UNDER CONSIDERATION
The ninth session considered 18 draft agreements and memoranda of understanding covering a wide range of sectors, including science and technology, tourism, education, health, youth, sport, housing, public administration, media, and trade.
Ambassador Caetano said the two countries also needed to accelerate work on the Limpopo Development Corridor and address outstanding issues surrounding the Ponta Techobanine Railway Project.
He noted that Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe would need to engage on pending matters relating to the implementation of the railway project.
MEASURING SUCCESS BY DELIVERY, NOT SIGNATURES
Permanent Secretary in Botswana’s Ministry of International Relations, Ambassador Thuso Ramodimoosi, called for greater focus on implementing agreements already reached between the two countries.
He said the success of bilateral cooperation should not be measured by the number of agreements signed, but by whether they were implemented within agreed timelines and produced tangible benefits for citizens.
“The success of bilateral cooperation should not be measured by the number of agreements signed, but by whether they are implemented within agreed timelines and produce tangible benefits for citizens,” Ramodimoosi said.
He urged officials to identify implementation gaps, assign clear responsibilities, and establish firm timelines for outstanding commitments.
Ambassador Ramodimoosi said the 9th Session should be used to close implementation gaps and ensure sustained follow-up until commitments are delivered.
PREPARING FOR CHAPO’S STATE VISIT
The meeting was also expected to prepare for Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo’s State Visit to Botswana, scheduled for September 28 to October 1, 2026.
The State Visit is part of Mozambique’s broader diplomatic agenda for 2026, which includes six planned State Visits to Canada, Botswana, Angola, Russia, China, and Vietnam.