The new honorary consul Mr Branko Cavrić will assist the Czech citizens in case of emergency, such as health problems, car accident, loss of travel documents or financial means.

The opening ceremony was attended by Ms Blanka Fajkusová, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in South Africa, Mr. Lapologang C. Lekoa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Botswana, among others.

The Czech Republic and the Republic of Botswana enjoy friendly relations. Both countries share basic foreign policy principles and co-operate in the international organisations, namely in the Human Rights Council. Nowadays, due to a visa-free regime, an increasing number of Czech tourists enjoy visiting Botswana.

At present there are about 100 students from Botswana studying at medicine faculties in the Czech Republic, at the expense of the Government of Botswana. Enhancing cooperation in the field of education and developing a closer partnership in energy, transport, mining, glass making, food processing, leather industries, tourism etc. will be among key priorities for the work of the Honorary Consulate.

Contacts between the two countries date back to the second half of the 19^th century. In the 1870s and 1880s the Czech explorer and scientist Dr. Emil Holub travelled extensively within territory of the current state of Botswana. He met several local chiefs and gathered enough valuable historical and ethnographical material enabling us to understand the history of the faraway country.