Luanda: Angola and Botswana will host their inaugural business forum on Tuesday in Luanda, seeking to forge private sector partnerships and expand trade and investment between the two southern African nations.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the business forum follows the first Angola-Botswana Bilateral Commission, co-chaired by Angolan Foreign Minister Tete Antonio and Botswana's Minister of International Relations Phenyo Butale. The landmark meeting identified key growth opportunities across energy, mining, infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism.
During the talks, the two nations agreed to deepen diamond industry cooperation-covering exploration, cutting, and marketing-building on the Luanda Agreement signed in June 2025.
In the energy sector, Botswana indicated interest in acquiring an equity stake in Angola's 6 billion US dollars Lobito Refinery. Discussions also highlighted the Lobito Corridor rail network, which could provide landlocked Botswana with strategic access to Atlantic trade routes.
In agriculture, Angola outlined plans to import beef from Botswana, with both sides committing to joint initiatives in livestock restocking, vaccine production, and disease control.
The commission-the first held since diplomatic relations were established in 1976-resulted in the creation of a Bi-National Commission to oversee bilateral commitments. Its first session is scheduled for 2027 in Botswana.
Gaborone also announced plans to establish a diplomatic mission in Luanda to strengthen economic and political engagement. Both nations reaffirmed aligned positions within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union, and the United Nations, including support for UN Security Council reform under the Ezulwini Consensus.
