The outgoing High Commissioner of the Republic of India to the Republic of Botswana and Special Representative to SADC, His Excellency Mr. Bharath Kumar Kuthati, paid a farewell courtesy call on the SADC Executive Secretary, His Excellency Mr. Elias M. Magosi, at the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana, on 7 October 2026.
His Excellency Mr. Kuthati is scheduled to leave Botswana on 8 October 2026 following the completion of his tour of duty. During the courtesy call, the High Commissioner expressed his appreciation for the cordial relations and close cooperation established during his tenure, and reflected on the progress made in strengthening diplomatic relations, trade and investment opportunities, and consular cooperation between the Republic of India, the Republic of Botswana and the SADC region.
The SADC Executive Secretary expressed appreciation to the Government of the Republic of India for its longstanding and cordial relations and cooperation with SADC and its Member States. He recognised India's valuable contribution to the region through technical cooperation, capacity building, economic cooperation and development support across various sectors.
The Executive Secretary commended High Commissioner Kuthati for his commitment to strengthening relations between India and SADC, as well as for his constructive engagement with the SADC Secretariat. He particularly appreciated his support towards the finalisation and signing of the SADC-India Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Economic Cooperation, which was signed in July 2024. The MoU provides a platform for enhanced collaboration in areas including economic development, trade and investment, industrialisation, technology and digital transformation, skills development, disaster risk management, renewable energy, research and innovation, and private-sector development. The Executive Secretary conveyed his best wishes to the High Commissioner for continued success in his future endeavours.
High Commissioner Kuthati thanked the SADC Executive Secretary for the warm and cordial relations between India and the SADC Secretariat, noting that these relations had provided opportunities to deepen cooperation and strengthen India's engagement with the SADC region. He highlighted the progress achieved in advancing diplomatic cooperation in support of SADC Member States, as well as the development of a framework to operationalise the MoU between SADC and India, which will provide a structured basis for cooperation between the two parties.
The High Commissioner reaffirmed India's commitment to maintaining continuity in its engagement with SADC and expressed confidence that the strong relations established during his tenure would continue to grow under his successor. He emphasised the importance of building on the existing cooperation and identifying further opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration between India, SADC and its Member States.
The farewell courtesy call reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and partnership between SADC and the Republic of India and underscored the shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation for the mutual benefit of the SADC region and India.
