Gaborone, Botswana, 7 April 2017 - Her Excellency, Katie Ransome, the British High Commissioner to Botswana visited the WHO Botswana Country Office to explore opportunities for collaboration between her office and the WHO Country Office. Her visit coincided with the presence of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, in Botswana. Dr Moeti was in the country to attend the UN Africa Regional Director’s meeting. The Regional Director’s presence and leadership of the meeting broadened the discussions to cooperation and collaboration between Great Britain and WHO Africa Region.

Anti-microbial Resistance (AMR) and Rational Use of Medicines emerged as the key area the two parties felt they could collaborate on to support Botswana. AMR is a growing public health concern with respect to the quality and safety of animal based food products, particularly since Botswana is a leading beef producer, consumer and exporter. The meeting agreed to prioritize identified strategic and scalable activities that will energize and mobilize stakeholders and produce quick, impactful results. Possible forging of twinning of UK and Botswana Institutions was tabled for consideration along with evidence generation and policy development for AMR. 

The visiting team, accompanied by the Regional Director, also took time to interact with a multi-sectoral AMR Task Team comprised of senior government officials from line ministries including Health, Agriculture, Veterinary Services,  Land, Water and Sanitation as well as Environment and other relevant sectors. The Task Team, hosted in the WCO boardroom, is working to develop a Botswana National AMR Roadmap. The visitors were informed that the WCO convened high level consultations with Permanent Secretaries of the ministries mentioned above and also had initial contact with SADC and the Organization for Animal Health Regional Office in Gaborone.

Further consultations on the scope and level of collaboration will take place at AFRO, London and at the country level, with an anticipated quick turn-around. High Commissioner Ransome was accompanied by Ms Kitso Motshwane while WHO Regional Director was accompanied by WHO Representative to Botswana and some members of the country team.

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For further information, please contact:

Mr M Gaborone, NPO/HIP, gaboronem [at] who.int
Below :

01 Her Excellency Ransome and Dr Moeti discussing possible co-operation areas

02 Her Excellency Ransome and Dr Moeti after the meeting

03 Her Excellency Ransome and Dr Moeti with the multi-sectoral AMR Task Team