Botswana Supports Regional Celebration of ‘Cuito Cuanavale’ Battle

10 May 2011

Gaberone — Botswana has expressed its unconditional support for Angolan Government’s initiative to set March 23 as a milestone of the Historic Cuito Cauanavale Battle worth celebrating in the whole of southern Africa region.

This was said Monday in Gaborone by Botswana’s minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Phandu Skelemani, during an audience he granted to Angolan ambassador, Nelson Cosme.

Nelson Cosme bore a written message from Angolan Foreign minister, Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoty.

After learning of the content of the message form his Angolan counterpart, Phandu Skelemani said he acknowledges the historic importance of that battle which.

According to him, the Cuito Cuanavale Battle set a twist in the struggle against the apartheid regime of South Africa and allowed the emancipation of the peoples of the region.

However, Phandu Skelemani spoke of the need for a study of its historical, cultural and politico-diplomatic importance to the future generations.

On the sidelines of the audience, minister Phandu Sekelemani briefed ambassador Nelson Cosme on some bilateral issues and expressed interest to meet with his Angolan counterpart.

The mission of the Angolan special envoy to Botswana was preceded by others that took him to Namibia and South Africa for contacts with the governments of those Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries on an agenda for the next summit of the organisation to take place in Luanda, during which Angola will take up the rotation presidency.

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