Botswana–Israel relations

Botswana-Israel relations

Botswana	Israel

Israel and Botswana have official relations though neither country maintains a formal consulate or embassy in the other. The two countries, nevertheless, have reached cooperate agreements at the government level and there is private sector activity between the two countries.

Establishment of Diplomatic Relations

The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1993 after Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo Accords. In February 2012, a Dan Shaham-Ben-Hayun presented his diplomatic credentials to Botswana as an official representative. However, he is currently based in Namibia.

Economic Ties

Six Israeli-centered diamond firms have operations in Botswana's Gaborone Diamond District, apparently employing about 1,000 Botswana citizens.

Education

In December 2012, Ben Gurion University agreed to facilitate a new institution called the Botswana International University of Science and Technology. BGU will be in charge of teaching and building the university's research capacity. Students from the African country will also be invited to Israel to complete their studies before returning to build the staff of the university. According to Israeli ambassador Dan Shaham, "Some 250 students will be selected to begin their studies in the coming months. More and more students and more and more subjects will be added gradually, until it becomes a real university."

Water

Botswana is fighting a severe desertification problem. Israel has been suggested as a model for combating the problem based on the country's technological developments in agriculture and desalination.

See also

Israeli Foreign Relations - Africa