The Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defense approved the Message 911/09 last Wednesday, from the Executive Branch, which ratifies the cultural cooperation agreement signed by both the Governments of Brazil and Botswana, on June, 2009.The rapporteur, Deputy Janete Rocha Pietá (PT-SP), recommended the agreement approval.

She has argued that there is a potential for exchange due to the bonds between Brazilian culture and Sub-Saharan Africa, where Botswana is located, and its common past of former European colony. “The cooperation will propitiate cultural approaching between both people at several covered areas, favoring enrichment and strengthening of Brazil-Botswana relationship”, she said.

The agreement foresees experiences and cooperation exchange at literature, visual and plastic arts, music, dance, audio-visual and education areas. There will be easiness for research at institutes, archives, libraries and museums of both countries.

Joint Committee
The text also establishes a Joint Committee creation to follow the treaty execution. In Brazil, the committee will be coordinated by the Ministries of Foreign Relations and Culture and in Botswana, by the Ministries of Foreign Business and International Cooperation and Youth, Sports and Culture.

Being independent from the United Kingdom since 1966, Botswana has kept expressive economic growth rates, sustained mainly by mining, tourism and husbandry.. The two main problems of the country are unemployment and Aids epidemic.

Translation - Grupo Solucion-SP Language/Márcia Regina Monteiro Ferreira