Botswana and Rwanda have stepped up efforts to expand economic cooperation with a high-level business forum in Gaborone, as Rwandan President Paul Kagame arrived for a two-day state visit expected to strengthen trade and investment ties between the two countries.
The forum, held on May 5–6 under the Botswana–Rwanda Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC), brought together government officials, investment agencies and private sector leaders to identify new opportunities in mining, ICT, tourism, renewable energy and financial services.
It took place alongside the latest JPCC session, which concluded on May 5, and sets the stage for bilateral talks and the signing of new agreements during Kagame’s state visit from May 6–7.
Officials say the engagement reflects a broader effort by both countries to move beyond diplomatic ties into structured economic partnerships, anchored in a framework first established in 2019.
The JPCC serves as the main coordination platform for cooperation between Botswana and Rwanda, covering sectors including trade, agriculture, health, security and investment promotion. Since its creation, it has increasingly focused on translating agreements into concrete business and institutional partnerships.
Speaking at the forum, representatives from the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) highlighted Botswana’s ambition to diversify its economy beyond diamonds, targeting growth in mining services, agro-processing, renewable energy and digital infrastructure.
Rwanda, represented by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), outlined its strategy to position the country as a regional hub for ICT services, tourism and investment facilitation, while expanding its financial services sector.
Officials said the forum was designed to match business opportunities with policy frameworks, enabling investors from both countries to explore joint ventures and cross-border projects.
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Among the key discussions were proposals to strengthen trade facilitation, improve investment protections and develop sector-specific partnerships in manufacturing, tourism and technology-driven services.
A Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement is expected to be among the instruments signed during the state visit, a move officials say would help reduce barriers to cross-border investment and improve business confidence.
The engagement also reflects a growing trend among African countries to pursue bilateral economic arrangements alongside broader regional integration efforts. Representatives from regional blocs, including ECOWAS, CEMAC and IGAD, attended the forum, underscoring wider interest in the Botswana–Rwanda cooperation model.
Although Botswana is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Rwanda belongs to the East African Community (EAC), both governments have in recent years sought to bridge regional divides through targeted bilateral agreements.
Officials say the 2019 General Framework Agreement between the two countries laid the foundation for the current phase of cooperation, establishing the JPCC as a permanent mechanism for coordination.
Since then, business forums and agency-to-agency collaborations have become a regular feature of the relationship, with increased emphasis on private sector participation.
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Analysts say the focus on investment promotion agencies such as BITC and RDB reflects a shift toward more commercially driven diplomacy, where state institutions actively facilitate business linkages rather than relying solely on traditional diplomatic channels.
The timing of the forum, coinciding with Kagame’s state visit, signals what both governments describe as a “new phase” in bilateral relations, with an emphasis on implementation rather than declarations.
Further agreements are expected to be announced following bilateral talks between the two heads of state, with officials indicating that infrastructure development, digital transformation and tourism promotion will feature prominently.
As the forum concluded, delegates expressed optimism that the engagement would translate into concrete projects, though they acknowledged that effective implementation and sustained private sector involvement would be critical to delivering results.
For both Botswana and Rwanda, the challenge now lies in converting policy alignment into tangible investment flows and long-term economic partnerships across multiple sectors.
