02/03/2026
H.E MS. PHILDA NANI KERENG PRESENTS LETTERS OF CREDENCE TO HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CABO VERDE
On the 25th February 2026, Her Excellency Ms. Philda Nani Kereng presented her Letters of Credence to His Excellency, José Maria Pereira Neves President of the Republic of Cabo Verde, officially accrediting her as the Ambassador of the Republic of Botswana to Cabo Verde.
Botswana and Cabo Verde enjoy friendly relations and close ties underpinned by shared democratic values. Her Excellency Ambassador Kereng held pre-presentation meetings with Honourable Dr. Rui Alberto De Figueiredo Soares Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Regional Integration of Cabo Verde where she presented copies of her letters. During their meeting the Honourable Minister and the Ambassador-Designate discussed deliberate intentions to bring the two countries closer to come up with strategies to enhance collaboration and explore specific sectors of interest for investment purposes.
Cabo Verde is a ten-island archipelago, nine of which are inhabited. The unique structure of the country has enhanced the tourism sector, which is the main contributor to the country’s GDP. With Botswana targeting the tourism as a sector for diversification, enhance collaboration with Cabo Verde with more than 1million arrivals of tourists will bring in an interesting and dynamic tourism product of safari. Cabo Verde, tourism sector is more focused on water tourism, (beaches, sailing etc). While this is an interesting factor to be explored, tour operators and the hospitality sectors would promote affluent tourists in order to tackle the challenge of air connectivity.
The discussions were buttressed by His Excellency the President José Maria Pereira Neves after receiving Letters of Accreditation. This Presentation is viewed as a milestone for engagement and come up with a high level strategy for the two countries to enhance the level of engagement including increase on high level exchange visits. His Excellency the President also acknowledged and appreciated that Cabo Verde has become the main stop-over for Botswana’s president en-route to the West and proposed that such should facilitate high level engagement as well as sectoral ones.
Discussions centred on several sectors:
• Cabo Verde is developing big in terms of sports with their national team having qualified for the upcoming FIFA world Cup.
• Peace, Security and Governance where Botswana has excelled of which Cabo Verde is ready to learn from. Botswana’s credentials on governance is highly regarded in Cabo Verde.
• Mutually beneficial collaborations to explore on training and skills development, tourism and hospitality, digital innovation, sustainability and secular economy focusing on drought management and renewable energy.
• Cabo Verde has a School of Hotel and Tourism which could be explored to secure trainings for Batswana in the sector.
Cabo Verde is ready to host Botswana’s High Level delegation and to equally visit Botswana to enhance the bilateral relation. Promotion of investment from both countries would be undertaken through business forums during such visits.