Question NW1513 to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
17 May 2022 - NW1513
Hlengwa, Mr M to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
With reference to the Joint Communique’on the Occasion of the Fifth Session of the South Africa – Botswana Bi – National Commission, wherein the Heads of State, the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa and the President of the Republic of Botswana Dr M E K Masisi, noted in point 8 that 40 Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have, over the years been signed `between the two countries and emphasised the need to fully implement all the signed agreements and MoUs, what are the (a) full, relevant details of the signed agreements and MoUs that have not been fully implemented, (b) reasons for the delays and (c) timelines for implementation?
Reply:
a) Full relevant details of the signed Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) that have not been fully implemented:
- The Heads of State at the Bi-National Commission (BNC) noted that in the years between the convening of the 4th and the 5th BNCs, the MoU on Cooperation in Prosecution Matters and the MoU on Cooperation between the Agricultural Research Council and the Botswana Vaccine Institute were signed in February 2018 and November 2019 respectively. This brought the total number of signed Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding to 40 from 38.
Furthermore, the BNC was apprised about the completion of the pre-feasibility study in December 2021 on the 2017 MoU between Lesotho-Botswana and South Africa on Water Transfer Project, and the 2018 MoU on Water Course Commission which has not yet entered into force.
In this context and upon consideration of the 5th BNC decision to develop an Implementation Matrix, the Heads of State directed that all Agreements and MoUs be fully implemented.
b) Reasons for the delays; and
- The full feasibility study on the MoU between Lesotho-Botswana and South Africa on Water Transfer Project, could not be conducted and/or completed on time by the African Development Bank due to the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic.
With regard to the MoU on Water Course Commission that has not yet entered into force, efforts are underway to finalise national processes in order for the MoU to enter into force.
c) Timelines for implementation.
- The African Development Bank has set December 2023 as the envisaged date for the completion of the full feasibility study in regard to the MoU on Water Transfer Project.
The Parties have committed to finalise national processes for the entry into force of the MoU on Water Course Commission and report to the BNC Mid-Term Review Meeting in November 2022.
Progress report on the Implementation Matrix, as a tracking tool of all Agreements and MoUs, will also be provided during the BNC Mid-term review in November 2022.