SPEECH BY HIS MAJESTY KING LETSIE III AT THE STATE BANQUET HELD IN HONOUR OF HIS EXCELLENCY,  PRESIDENT FESTUS MOGAE OF THE REPUBLIC OF  BOTSWANA ON 15^TH APRIL, 2004  AT MASERU SUN  CABANAS.

YOUR MAJESTY, ‛M’E ’M‛ASENATE,

YOUR EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT FESTUS MOGAE AND MRS. BARBARA MOGAE,

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. PAKALITHA MOSISILI AND ‘M’E ‘M’ATHATO MOSISILI,

HONOURABLE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE,

HONOURABLE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY,

YOUR LORDSHIP THE CHIEF JUSTICE,

HONOURABLE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER,

HONOURABLE MINISTERS,

YOUR LORDSHIPS, HONOURABLE JUDGES OF THE HIGH COURT,

HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT,

HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE,

YOUR EXCELLENCIES HEADS OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS,

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. 

I AM PLEASED TO GREET YOU ALL ON THIS OCCASION MARKING THE STATE VISIT TO LESOTHO OF HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT FESTUS GONTEBANYE MOGAE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA.    

ALLOW ME, FIRST OF ALL, TO EXTEND OUR SPECIAL WORDS OF WELCOME, COMPLIMENTS AND RESPECTS TO HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT MOGAE, MRS. BARBARA MOGAE AND THEIR HIGH-POWERED ENTOURAGE.   WE ARE, INDEED, HONOURED TO HAVE YOU AMONGST OUR MIDST.   IT IS OUR DESIRE AND HOPE THAT YOUR VISIT WILL BE MOST MEMORABLE AND REWARDING.   WE SHALL ENDEAVOUR TO ENSURE THAT IT REALLY BECOMES ENJOYABLE AND FRUITFUL DESPITE THE LIMITED FACILITIES AT OUR DISPOSAL. 

YOUR EXCELLENCY’S STATE VISIT TO LESOTHO MARKS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN THE EVER-EVOLVING COOPERATION BETWEEN OUR TWO SISTER COUNTRIES IN VARIOUS FIELDS OF HUMAN   ENDEAVOUR.     WE  MAY  EVEN  CONFIDENTLY  DECLARE THAT THE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES ARE CURRENTLY AT THEIR ALL TIME HIGH. 

MR. PRESIDENT AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, POLITICAL SCIENTISTS HAVE, ON THE BASIS OF HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE, RECOGNISED THAT THERE CAN BE NO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT PEACE, STABILITY AND SECURITY IN OUR COUNTRIES AND IN THE REGION.   IN VIEW OF THIS FACT, BOTH OF OUR COUNTRIES ARE NOW CONCENTRATING ON PROMOTING POLITICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE DEMOCRATIC AND LEGITIMATE.    PEACE AND TRANQUILITY, COUPLED WITH A CLEAR ZERO TOLERANCE CORRUPTION POLICY, ARE THE HALLMARK FOR BOTSWANA’S TREMENDOUS STRIDES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.    

BOTSWANA’S  VISIBLE STRUCTURES  TO  FIGHT  THE HIV AND AIDS PANDEMIC   AND   TRANSPARENT   MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  MINING SECTOR AS WELL AS AN EVER GROWING TOURISM SECTOR, HAVE INSPIRED MANY IN THE SUB-CONTINENT AND THE WORLD AT LARGE TO EMULATE BOTSWANA.

FURTHERMORE, THE IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYED BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF BOTSWANA, SIR KETUMILE MASIRE, AS THE MEDIATOR IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) PEACE PROCESS BEARS TESTIMONY TO BOTSWANA’S RESOLVE FOR STABILITY, SECURITY AND PEACE. 

MR. PRESIDENT, WE CAN CONSIDER OURSELVES LUCKY THAT WE ARE PRACTICALLY ONE PEOPLE.  OUR LUCK, WHICH MUST CERTAINLY BE EXPLOITED TO THE MAXIMUM, FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF OUR PEOPLES, LIES IN THE SPECIAL RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES PREMISED ON COMMON BONDS OF ORIGIN, CULTURE, LANGUAGE, HISTORY AND HERITAGE.  INDEED WE SHARE COMMON VIEWS, VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS WHILE EQUALLY FACING SIMILAR CHALLENGES. 

WE SHOULD INDEED WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR STRENGTHS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SEEKING    TO    FIND    COMMON   SOLUTIONS   TO   OUR   SHARED PROBLEMS.  YOUR EXCELLENCY’S PRESENCE AMONGST US WILL THEREFORE   CONTRIBUTE IMMENSELY TOWARDS  ACHIEVING    OUR   FINAL OBJECTIVE OF WORKING IN TANDEM FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.  YOU ARE, THEREFORE, MORE THAN WELCOME TO LESOTHO. 

YOUR EXCELLENCY, 

WE MUST REITERATE THAT FOR CENTURIES, OUR TWO COUNTRIES HAVE COOPERATED AND WORKED TOGETHER IN DIFFERENT SPHERES OF LIFE.  IT MAY BE RECALLED THAT AT ONE TIME DURING THE BRITISH RULE, BASOTHO POLICE OFFICERS WENT  TO  BOTSWANA  TO  HELP  QUELL  POLITICAL  CRISIS  THAT HAD  OCCURRED.    SOME  OF  THOSE  BASOTHO  NEVER  EVEN BOTHERED    TO     COME   BACK   SINCE   THEY   WERE   RECEIVED  WARMLY  AND RECOGNISED THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES WERE THE SAME.  SIMILARLY, DURING THE 1994 AND 1998 CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL CRISES IN LESOTHO, BATSWANA WERE THERE FOR US, BOTH DIPLOMATICALLY AND MILITARILY.   

YOUR EXCELLENCY, 

LESOTHO AND BOTSWANA WERE MEMBERS OF THE THEN UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA, LESOTHO AND SWAZILAND (UBLS).  INTERESTINGLY, EVEN WITH THE DISSOLUTION OF THE SAID INSTITUTION, BASOTHO CONTINUE TO ENJOY TRAINING IN VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING IN BOTSWANA.       WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT COOPERATION IN THE EDUCATION SPHERE, AMONGST OTHERS, WILL BE STRENGTHENED EVEN FURTHER NOW THAT LESOTHO AND BOTSWANA HAVE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT ON ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION DURING OUR STATE VISIT TO BOTSWANA IN MAY, 2003. 

YOUR EXCELLENCY, 

THE ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES WILL BE OF IMMENSE BENEFIT   TO   OUR  PEOPLES  IF  IT  IS  PROPERLY  IMPLEMENTED, MONITORED AND CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN WHERE NECESSARY.   WE ARE SUGGESTING, THEREFORE, THAT MAXIMUM EFFORT BE MADE TOWARDS ITS IMPLEMENTATION. 

THE COOPERATION AGREEMENT IS AIMED AT IDENTIFYING PROJECTS FOR CO-FINANCING AS WELL AS EXCHANGING EXPERTS IN DIVERSE FIELDS SUCH AS EDUCATION, CULTURE, HEALTH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING, TOURISM, TRADE AND INDUSTRY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS, IMMIGRATION, ANTI-CORRUPTION AND POLICE SERVICES. 

IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM BOTH COUNTRIES MET IN THIS VERY HOTEL FROM 7 – 8 APRIL, 2004 IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF POSSIBLE COOPERATION FOR SUBMISSION   TO   THE   HONOURABLE   MINISTERS   OF   FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF OUR TWO COUNTRIES.  WE HAVE BEEN RELIABLY ADVISED  THAT THEIR MEETING WAS FRUITFUL AND SUCCESSFUL.   

WE COULD EVEN GO A STEP FURTHER TO PROPOSE THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE CIVIL SOCIETY SHOULD ALSO BE BROUGHT ON BOARD AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME. THIS SHOULD BE DONE IN FULFILLMENT OF THE NEPAD OBJECTIVES OF GOOD ECONOMIC AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AIMED AT PROMOTING  ECONOMIC  GROWTH  AND REDUCTION OF POVERTY.   

IN THIS WAY, WE SHALL BE COMFORTABLE THAT WHATEVER IS AGREED UPON AT GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT LEVEL, TRICKLES DOWN TO OUR RESPECTIVE SOCIETIES.

YOUR EXCELLENCY, 

THE HIV AND AIDS PANDEMIC IS A SOURCE OF GREAT CONCERN TO ALL OF US.   THE PANDEMIC HAS OVERWHELMED OUR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES AND THREATENS OUR FUTURE.  IT FURTHER HINDERS SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT  AS MANY OF OUR ABLE-BODIED MEN AND WOMEN, ALIKE,  ARE  INCREASINGLY  UNABLE  TO  ENGAGE IN PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES DUE TO THE DEBILITATING ILLNESS CAUSED BY HIV AND AIDS.   IN THE FACE OF THIS ENORMOUS CHALLENGE, SHALL WE CONTINUE TO CULTIVATE OUR FRONT GARDEN AS IF ALL IS WELL?   I THINK NOT.  ON THE CONTRARY, I AM FIRMLY CONVINCED THAT THE CALL IS NOW STRONGER FOR US TO MAKE EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT TO CURB AND CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF THE PANDEMIC.   IN THIS REGARD, I WISH TO RECALL AND ASSOCIATE MYSELF FULLY WITH YOUR EXCELLENCY’S STATEMENT,   DURING   OUR   VISIT   TO   BOTSWANA,   WHEN  YOU SAID  “THE  EPIDEMIC CAN AND DOES RESPOND TO HUMAN INTERVENTION AND WE MUST WORK TOGETHER AT NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVELS TO REDUCE THE RATES OF INFECTION AND TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF THIS DREADFUL DISEASE.”    INDEED, WE MUST COLLABORATE MORE CLOSELY PARTICULARLY NOW THAT WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WHICH FORMS A SOLID FRAMEWORK FOR OUR COOPERATION.    

YOUR EXCELLENCY, 

ALLOW ME TO CONCLUDE BY STATING THAT WE LIVE AT A POINT IN TIME WHERE THE WORLD IS BEING DEVASTATED BY POVERTY, HATRED, CORRUPTION AND INTOLERANCE.   BOTSWANA, HOWEVER, UNDER YOUR ABLE LEADERSHIP, HAS TO BE CONGRATULATED FOR PERSISTENTLY PROMOTING THE VALUES OF PEACE, STABILITY, DEMOCRATIC RULE AND ZERO TOLERANCE TO CORRUPTION. 

IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR EXCELLENCY’S UNPARALLELED LEADERSHIP IN PROMOTING PEACE, TOLERANCE AND GOOD GOVERNANCE, I NOW HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE OF BESTOWING UPON YOUR EXCELLENCY OUR COUNTRY’S HIGHEST HONOUR, “THE KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE MOST COURTEOUS ORDER OF LESOTHO.” 

FINALLY, YOUR EXCELLENCY, LET ME ONCE AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT, THE PEOPLE OF LESOTHO AND ON OUR OWN BEHALF, WELCOME YOU MOST HEARTILY TO LESOTHO.    WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT YOUR STAY AMONGST US WILL BE A PLEASANT AND AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE.  

EXCELLENCIES, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAY I NOW REQUEST ALL OF US TO RISE AND JOIN ME IN PROPOSING A TOAST TO HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT FESTUS MOGAE: 

TO THE CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH OF THE PRESIDENT AND TO THE SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA. 

I THANK YOU ALL. 

KHOTSO!   PULA!!   NALA!!!  

20 April 2004