In April of 2022, in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, Rwanda and Botswana inaugurated a Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation. Two years later, almost to the month, at a state visit to Botswana by President Kagame, and the two countries’ heads of state leave no doubt about the momentousness of that agreement.
The two day state visit is in many ways inline with the customary protocals for such visits, the guard of honour, a large delegation, which included Rwanda’s prime minister Dr Justin Nsengiyumva, several ministers and other officials. There however notable differences from the norm.
“I must express faith and confidence that we did not meet today, merely for the gracious exchange of flattery, we did not meet merely to exchange diplomatic pleasantries,” declared Botswana’s Duma Boko, in his address.
He evinced no smile as he listened, but anyone who has observed President Kagame over the years would not fail to conclude that the sentiment, so forthrightly delivered, will have been music to his alert ears.
Botswana’s President Duma Boko
Borrowing from American poet Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken, President Boko challenged both nations to “commit ourselves to exploring ways to improving constant innovation, constant moving from the known to the not so well known…the path least travelled, these two countries must be prepared to pioneer, to lead, to originate approaches that may never have been tried before, and in that regard, become the exemplars, the lodestars, for the rest of Africa and indeed the world.”
He was talking about the shared path to development, but he may as well have been talking about both his and President Kagame’s address. “What you see is what you get,” President Kagame had once said to his audience, with some justification.
And what you do get is vision and originality delivered without embellishment, fanfare, primarily because it is always intended to be implemented, a plan of action. Far reaching, life changing transformative ideas are delivered in a matter of fact tone, often leaving the audience to express the light bulb moment about how visionary the ideas were, after implementation. In President Boko’s own address, President Kagame seems to have found a kindred spirit.
Leaders’ addresses whether in politics or other walks of life, are often judged remarkable for soaring rhetoric or because of some dramatic announcement, some declaration or other. Presidents Kagame and Boko’s addresses were gripping precisely because they were none of these things. Their words carried weight not because they wrapped the challenges ahead in poetic language, but because they laid them bare, leaving anyone listening in no doubt as to their difficulty.
What convinced, inspired and filled the listener with almost absolute confidence that these challenges would be met successfully was the unflinching readiness to confront them.
“We met for strategic realignment or reaffirmation of our shared vision, and an appreciation that this vision is not self executing. It will not merely occur because we scripted it…it requires human agency…And so the eminent officers, ministers who took part in the refinement of the vision, now stand poised to implement” Boko reminded the rapt audience.
Echoes of African Continental Free Trade Area
It is no hyperbole to suggest this state visit and the addresses to mark it, have all the hallmarks of an historic moment that may resonate throughout the continent for sometime to come. Important as they are for the two countries, the agreements that have already been signed and any others that will be added, are on the face of it simply bilateral agreements.
But look a little closer and it is difficult to avoid the strong impression that this bilateral relationship points to where other African countries will have to follow, if the African Continental Free Trade Area (Afcfta) is to become a reality.
“What defines the relationship between Rwanda and Botswana is not only friendship, but also a shared sense of purpose. This is evident in the way we work together and in our commitment to practical outcomes,” Kagame said to his Botswana counterpart, “across areas such air connectivity, visa facilitation and double taxation, our objective is to remove barriers and create a more predictable environment for investment and collaboration…”
The AfCFTA was signed on 21st March 2018, in Kigali and Rwanda has been among the strongest champions of its implementation, becoming one of the first countries to trade under the agreement. From the removal of barriers, visa restrictions, a clear encouragement to the free movement of people, Botswana and Rwanda are showing the rest of Africa what implementation of the AfCFTA can look like.
“Among the agreements today is reciprocation of Rwanda’s exemplary gesture, which removed all barriers and barricades to free movement between Rwanda and Botswana” Boko told his audience, “Rwanda removed any and all visa requirements and not only that, they moved away from the regular, normalised time period allowable for the nationals of each country to visit each other…the standard 90 days, Rwanda took it to six months, that is exemplary…”
Botswana would, he said, reciprocate with immediate effect. “Rwanda has done something that had not been done before, and we are most grateful, and we for our part will respond with reciprocity…We want to increase the volumes of trade, the flows of investment, between our two countries.”
Much is said about identifying best practise, including in the implementation of the AfCFTA, and the two heads of state pointed one at the other, as examples worthy of emulation.
“Botswana has consistently demonstrated what forwardlooking leadership can accomplish. The way you have managed your natural resources, particularly diamonds, reflects a deliberate effort to retain value, and translate it into real benefits for your people” said Kagame, “this is an approach that strongly resonates with us. That same quality is evident in your efforts to strengthen health security by investing in pharmaceutical capacity and resilience, Botswana is addressing domestic needs while also contributing to a more self reliant continent.”
With a determination to learn lessons from the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic, Rwanda too embarked on the building of infrastructure for pharmaceutical production, notably partnering with BioNtech, to manufacture vaccines not only for Rwanda, but the Great Lakes region and the rest of Africa.
“Botswana has a lot to learn from Rwanda, and Botswana has a few lessons of its own to impart to Rwanda” Boko had said, “these high level engagements we’ve had in the different sectors, in education, in health, agriculture and food security, youth empowerment, sport development and employment creation, infrastructure development and regional connectivity, mean that we must work very closely with each other…bridge whatever gaps there may be”
“Distance is not an excuse. Technology and science have now reached a point where they very efficiently and seamlessly augment human capability, and so we will be in constant touch with each other.” He could have been talking about the AfCFTA in implementation.
Ever the early adopter, President Kagame was first among leaders to understand the importance of sport to a country’s economy. And as an avid sports fan, he had followed this year’s World Athletics Relays, held in Goborene, the first time in Africa, with the host having a notably good showing.
Congratulating the athletes and the country, Kagame told them their achievement was not just for Botswana, but for the entire continent.
From AfCFTA to “The Africa We want”
Kagame’s state visit to Botswana also highlights the kind of governance that will make the oft repeated wish, “the Africa we want” a reality. Both countries stand out as beacons of good governance in a content which has yet to even understand what such a thing looks like. “Umuturage Kwisonga,” or the citizen above all else, is not just a slogan in Rwanda, it is what governs everything that the government does.
In a speech at the dinner held in his honour, Kagame put it in characterically simple, clear language, which unfailingly carries profound meaning.
“My dear brother President Boko, it is a pleasure to here and to experience once again the generosity for which Botswana is well known. Our visit has been both productive and enjoyable reflecting the ease and trust that exists between our two countries.”
“Rwanda and Botswana, relate so well because we have a similar outlook on governance. We believe that lasting progress requires leadership that is purposeful, accountable, and centred on the wellbeing of our people. This shared approach also shapes our broader aspirations for the continent.”
“Africa is not short of talent or ideas, what it has lacked at times, is alignment between vision and execution. Countries like our can help bridge this gap by working more closely together, and delivering results. At the end of the day, young people in Kigali, Goborene and elsewhere on the continent, want the same thing, a fair chance to succeed and to move forward in life.”
“It is our duty as leaders to create the conditions that make that possible. This is precisely what we are working towards, and why visits like this matter.” A toast sealed what felt like a beginning of an historic beginning for two countries and for the continent.
