On 3 June 2025, Petra Pereyra, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Botswana and SADC, together with Ambassadors and representatives of Embassies of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain met with Dr Phenyo Butale, Minister of International Relations and senior government officials for the annual EU-Botswana Partnership Dialogue. This was the second time the EU-Botswana Partnership Dialogue was organised under the Samoa Agreement between the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and the EU, which Botswana signed in December 2023.

In an open and positive dialogue the Ambassadors and Minister Butale exchanged on the shared partnership priorities, political and economic developments, human rights, rules based international order and trade. In her opening remarks, EU Ambassador Pereyra stressed that the European Union and Botswana are natural partners, committed to democratic governance, inclusive and sustainable development, peace and security, and rules-based international order. She also underlined the importance the EU attaches to its partnership with Africa, noting that this year marks the 25 years of European Union – African Union Partnership. 

The Partnership Dialogue was an opportunity to emphasise EU’s long-standing commitment and reliability as a partner in the current geopolitical context, and the relevance of Team Europe’s offer to support Botswana government’s reform agenda as to renewable energy, digital transformation, economic diversification and job creation as well as the benefits of the implementation of Global Gateway in the SADC region for Botswana in particular on trade and transportation facilitation through the Strategic Corridors programme and on conservation and livelihoods through the NaturAfrica initiative.