DIPARTIMENT TAL-INFORMAZZJONI DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION MALTA Press Release PR 172241 02.10.2017 PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER Speaker Farrugia pays courtesy call on the President of Botswana Speaker of the House of Representatives Anġlu Farrugia paid a courtesy call on President of Botswana, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama. Bilateral relations between Malta and Botswana have always been cordial, following the establishment relations on 6 January 2005. Speaker Farrugia and President Khama referred to high- level visits that strengthened these relations, from a visit in 2014 by Botswanan government official to discuss e-benchmarking and e-legislation, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s visit to Botswana in June 2015 to participate in the Commonwealth Local Government Summit, to the President of Botswana’s visit in November 2015 to participate in the CHOGM. Both dignitaries noted that bilateral trade between the two countries is very limited and hoped for its expansion. They also stressed the importance of Maltese Parliament representatives and representatives of the Botswanan National Assembly to keep contact in international fora, namely the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and the United Nations. Other discussions of mutual interest included Commonwealth and European Union relations, with reference to the Cotonou Agreement. The President of Botswana was accompanied by Dr Pelonomi Vension Moitoi, Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, Kitso Mokaila, Minister of Transport and Communication, Thapelo Olopeng, Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Cultural Development, Roy Blackbeard, High Commissioner of the Republic of Botswana to Malta, Brigadier George Tlhalerwa, Senior Private Secretary to the President, and Dahne Kadiwa, Chief of Protocol. The Speaker was accompanied by Ray Scicluna, Clerk of the House, Eleanor Scerri, Director, International Relations (HoR), Pierre Mallia, Director, (HoR), and Giovanni Miceli, Advisor, International Relations, (HoR). Attachments: none Page: 1 of 1 3, CASTILLE PLACE, VALLETTA VLT 2000 Tel +(356) 2200 1700 Fax +(356) 2200 1775 [email protected] www.doi.gov.mt .