The Gaborone City Council’s recent trip to China is a transformative step toward strengthening urban development, investment cooperation and people-to-people relations between Botswana and China.
During a dialogue with China Ambassador to Botswana on Friday, Gaborone city mayor, Mr Oarabile Motlaleng revealed that one of the most promising trip outcomes was China’s willingness to support Botswana in establishing stronger human-resource structures, an area which had not previously been recognised as a standalone committee within national development frameworks.
“We wanted to empower our communities and when we raised the idea of creating a Human Resources Committee, the Chinese Embassy agreed with us, that gave us great joy,” he said.
Mr Motlaleng said the visit also opened opportunities for investment partnerships, especially those linking local committees with potential Chinese investors.
He acknowledged China’s longstanding contributions to Botswana’s economic development, citing Chinese-owned businesses such as those at Oriental Plaza and major infrastructure developments, including the new skyscrapers rising across the country.
Mr Motlaleng said the delegation also visited the city of Linyi, renowned for its advanced environmental and vegetation-management systems, adding that the practices offered valuable insights for Gaborone’s urban-planning initiatives, as Botswana was preparing for the development of a new ‘Diamond City.
He further said another highlight was progress on solar-powered infrastructure, announcing plans to install between 30 000 and 40 000 solar-powered streetlights across Gaborone by next year.
Schools, roads and public spaces, he said would benefit from the renewable-energy initiative.
Mr Motlaleng further revealed that relations formed during the visit had already borne fruit, with a delegation from Linyi arriving in Botswana to explore business opportunities.
Areas of potential collaboration include investment, sport, maintenance and improvements to the athletics village and city lighting.
For his part, China Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Fan Yong, reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening development cooperation, deepening people-to-people exchanges and supporting Botswana’s national development plans.
He described the councillors’ visit as ‘very fruitful’, noting that it had laid a solid foundation for expanded collaboration.
Ambassador Fan said China was advancing toward its second centenary goal of becoming a ‘great modern socialist country in all respects’.
A key component of this vision, he explained, was the newly adopted recommendations guiding China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which emphasised high-level opening-up and global cooperation.
He highlighted local-government partnerships as critical pillars of the bilateral relationship.
Gaborone’s sister-city agreement with Nantong in Jiangsu Province, established in 2008, continues to facilitate cultural and developmental exchanges.
Another MoU with China’s Fujian Province was signed in 2023. During the council’s latest visit, Gaborone also deepened its partnership with Linyi in Shandong Province.
“These interactions will surely enhance mutual understanding between our peoples and inject fresh impetus into our practical cooperation,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Fan said Botswana’s ongoing formulation of the 12th National Development Plan and implementation of the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme presented new opportunities for alignment with China’s 15th Five-Year Plan.
He identified key areas of strategic synergy, including high-quality development and industrial transformation where China’s focus on new energy, new materials, aerospace and next-generation technologies complements Botswana’s economic-diversification goals.
He also discussed China’s commitment to high-standard opening-up, which aligns with Botswana’s trade and investment aspirations. Frameworks such as FOCAC, the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative which offer platforms for further collaboration, he noted.
Sharing experiences from the visit, Phakalane Ward councillor, Mr Kaisara Sejoe praised China’s advanced security systems, noting their high effectiveness in detecting crime.
He expressed appreciation for the Chinese Embassy’s support in sponsoring capacity-building initiatives, saying the training and exposure gained in China would significantly enhance their work and the city’s overall development.
