Botswana and Côte d’Ivoire Advance Dialogue on Mining and Energy Cooperation

Botswana and Côte d’Ivoire Advance Dialogue on Mining and Energy CCooperation. Senior officials from Botswana and Côte d’Ivoire have taken steps to strengthen cooperation in the mining and energy sectors following a high level courtesy visit between their respective ministers.

Vice President and Minister of Finance Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe received Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly and his delegation during talks focused on expanding bilateral collaboration in resource development.

During the engagement, Coulibaly commended Botswana’s development model, describing its progress as leadership driven. He also invited Botswana to participate as an honoured guest at Côte d’Ivoire’s upcoming minerals and energy exhibition, positioning the event as a platform to advance South South cooperation and deepen engagement between African resource economies.

In response, Gaolathe highlighted what he described as Africa’s generational responsibility to leverage its natural resources to strengthen global competitiveness. He emphasised the importance of strong institutions, sound negotiation processes and long term partnerships in building a sustainable and resilient mineral sector.

Discussions also explored opportunities for closer cooperation across mining and energy value chains, with both sides indicating interest in formalising collaboration frameworks.Officials confirmed that work will be accelerated toward the development of a Memorandum of Understanding ahead of the November exhibition, signalling intent to translate dialogue into structured cooperation.

The meeting reflects continued diplomatic engagement between the two countries as they examine avenues for partnership in sectors considered central to economic development and resource management across the continent.

Representatives noted that courtesy visits provide opportunities to exchange perspectives on policy direction and operational priorities within their respective portfolios. The engagement also created space for dialogue on shared development goals and the practical mechanisms required to sustain cooperation over time. Both delegations reaffirmed the value of continued consultation as discussions progress toward formal agreements and future engagement between institutions responsible for mining and energy governance.