Saharawi Republic– The Government of Botswana upgraded the diplomatic relations with the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, when its first ever Ambassador to the North African country, Mr. Zenene Sinombe, presented his Credentials as Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Botswana to the Saharawi Republic, to the President of the Saharawi Republic, H.E. Mr. Brahim Ghali, last Tuesday 1st 2022 at the Saharawi Presedential Headquarters.

During the ceremony of presentation of Credentials, Mr. Zenene Sinombe, conveyed to the President of the Saharawi Republic the firm support of his country to the rule of law and to principles of international legality and African Union Constitutive Act in the decolonization of Western Sahara.

Mr. Ghali welcomed Botswana Ambassador, stressing the warm and brotherly relations that link the two peoples and leadership of the countries, and insisting on the determination of the Saharawi government to deepen and strengthen bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect, brotherhood and respect of international law and African unity.

Mr. Sinombe is the first Ambassador accredited to the Saharawi Republic, and visited SADR at a historically symbolic period, the Saharawi people having just celebrated the 46^th anniversary of the proclamation of the North African Republic in 27 February 1976.

The African ambassador arrived to SADR the 28 February, and had had the opportunity to meet various Saharawi high officials, and visited local institutions to have an idea about the Saharawi experience of state and nation building despite the challenges and hardships of the bitter struggle for freedom and independence.

It should be recalled that Botswana and the Saharawi Republic have diplomatic relations since 1982. After a State visit paid by current Saharawi President, H.E. Mr. Brahim Ghali, to the Republic of Botswana in 2018, he agreed with H.E. President Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi, to raise this relations to ambassadorial level.

In implementation of this verbal agreement, the Saharawi Republic opened its first Embassy in Gaborone in 2019, and Saharawi Ambassador Mr. Malainin Mohamed, presented his Credentials to H.E. President Masisi in 12 August 2019, as the first Saharawi Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Botswana.

Botswana has always adopted a firm and principled position towards the legitimate struggle of the Saharawi people for independence and voiced this honorable position in various regional and international forums, mainly at the level of the AU and UN.