China hands over mobile meteorological station to Botswana

Wang Xuefeng (2nd L), Chinese Ambassador to Botswana, and Grace Muzila (2nd R), permanent secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Botswana, listen to introductions after a hand-over ceremony in Gaborone, Botswana, on Dec. 21, 2023. The Chinese Embassy handed over a mobile meteorological station to the Botswana government in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, Thursday, aiming at helping improve the southern African country's capacity to address climate change. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)

GABORONE, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy handed over a mobile meteorological station to the Botswana government in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, Thursday, aiming at helping improve the southern African country's capacity to address climate change.

The multi-satellite data mobile receiving and processing system, donated by the Chinese government, will provide strong support to Botswana in environmental monitoring, agricultural production and extreme climate prevention, to help Botswana achieve its goals of environmentally sustainable development, said Wang Xuefeng, Chinese ambassador to Botswana, at the handover ceremony, adding that this station is just one of the fruits of nine programs under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation framework.

As the world's largest developing country and a responsible country, China has always been an active advocator and practitioner of South-South cooperation on climate change. As of now, China has signed 48 cooperation agreements with 40 developing countries, Wang said.

Grace Muzila, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, received the station on behalf of the Botswana government and thanked the Chinese government for its selfless donation.

"In Botswana, frequent drought is exacerbating water scarcity and thereby negatively impacting people's health and productivity. The donation will go a long way in helping us deal with impact of climate change and help strengthen our abilities to keep lives and property safe, reducing the risk of disasters and maintaining resilient and viable economy," she said.

In November 2020, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Botswana signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Gaborone under South-South cooperation for addressing climate change. According to the MoU, the Chinese government agreed to donate a multi-satellite data mobile receiving and processing system to Botswana, to help improve the latter's capacity to address climate change.

Photo taken on Dec. 21, 2023 shows the mobile meteorological station donated by Chinese government to Botswana government in Gaborone, Botswana. The Chinese Embassy handed over a mobile meteorological station to the Botswana government in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, Thursday, aiming at helping improve the southern African country's capacity to address climate change. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)