MUSCAT— His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and President Duma Gideon Boko of the Republic of Botswana, today graced the signing of several cooperation agreements between the two countries at Al Barakah Palace. The signing ceremony took place within the framework of the working visit of the President of Botswana to the Sultanate of Oman.
The agreements covered the fields of mineral exploration, the development and operation of two petroleum product storage facilities, and the development, construction, and financing of a solar photovoltaic power plant.
Abdulsalam Mohammed Al Murshidi, Chairman of the Oman Investment Authority (OIA), stated that these new agreements with the Botswana side embody Oman’s economic diplomacy, for which Oman Investment Authority serves as an executive arm. He noted that their success opens the door to strengthening strategic relations with nations and establishing qualitative partnerships for the Authority and its companies abroad, while simultaneously contributing to attracting foreign investments into local sectors.
Al Murshidi added that the relationship with Botswana represents a model of mutual trust between the two parties, having evolved at a rapid pace from initial meetings in July 2025 and the subsequent establishment of diplomatic relations to mutual visits that have been translated into investment agreements and projects. He further clarified that the groundbreaking for these projects will take place immediately following today’s signing of these agreements, which are part of a long list of other projects to be considered successively, particularly in clean energy sectors such as wind and solar power, fuels and hydrocarbons, as well as mining, logistics, food, and financial services. This, he noted, opens opportunities for Omani companies operating in these sectors to export their products and services abroad.
The signing by OQ, the global integrated energy group, and Botswana Oil of an agreement to evaluate strategic cooperation prospects aims to enhance fuel security and support the development of an integrated supply and storage infrastructure in Botswana and its surrounding region. This follows the investment cooperation agreement concluded on 25 November 2025, as it establishes a structured framework for cooperation in technical, commercial, and regulatory fields. Under this agreement, both parties will work to develop identified opportunities to reach an economic feasibility study and formulate an agreed-upon commercial structure, including the evaluation of refined product supply arrangements.
OQ and Botswana Oil will assess the feasibility of creating an integrated platform combining coastal import and storage solutions with inland strategic stocks—a model intended to solidify security of supply and improve supply chain efficiency to meet Botswana’s long-term fuel needs. This cooperation is based on OQ’s extensive capabilities across the energy sector value chain, from trading and logistics to infrastructure development and product supply, to support the structuring of potential projects and ensure their economic feasibility, including the development of storage and distribution facilities that enhance the economic sustainability of the projects. The initial phase of work will focus on verifying technical and commercial assumptions, determining strategic stock requirements, and evaluating alternative supply models, in parallel with establishing the necessary commercial and regulatory foundations to move forward with these opportunities. This will be done with strict adherence to health, safety, and environmental standards, and the definition of governance frameworks, tariff principles, volume obligations, and risk distribution.
Ashraf Hamad Al Maamari, CEO of OQ Group, stated that the signing of the agreement with Botswana Oil reflects OQ’s partnership-based approach to developing the energy sector. He pointed out that as a leading global group in energy investments, OQ harnesses its comprehensive expertise in the integrated energy value chain to serve this cooperation, expressing his looking forward to working with partners in the Republic of Botswana to evaluate practical and scalable solutions that contribute to enhancing fuel security and transform into sustainable, feasible investment opportunities.
Latelang Chakalisa, Acting CEO of Botswana Oil, explained that fuel security is a priority for the Republic of Botswana, and this cooperation with OQ allows for the utilization of its international expertise to evaluate integrated supply and storage solutions while formulating commercial and regulatory frameworks.
The signing by O-Green, a subsidiary of Oman Investment Authority, of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) aims to develop a 500 MW solar photovoltaic plant, supported by integrated battery energy storage systems (BESS) of 500 MW in the city of Maun, Republic of Botswana.
The “Maun” project is the first initiative to enter final commercial implementation within the 3,000 MW expanded energy cooperation framework established between the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Botswana in November 2025, embodying a fundamental shift from the strategic planning phase to the actual execution of projects on the ground. This project represents one of the largest investments in the history of renewable energy in Botswana and a decisive step in the country’s efforts to secure 50% of its electricity needs via sustainable sources by 2030. In this context, President Duma Gideon Boko emphasized that the energy agreements signed with the Sultanate of Oman carry major strategic significance, as they will enable Botswana to achieve self-sufficiency and transition from a power-importing nation to an exporter.
Mustafa Mohammed Al Hinai, CEO of O-Green, said that this project practically embodies Botswana’s desire to achieve self-sufficiency and transform into an energy-exporting nation through an advanced and reliable clean energy infrastructure. He added that this initiative lays the foundation for an integrated energy platform that enhances Botswana’s position as a regional hub for energy trade and expands the horizons for sustainable economic growth. Once operational, the plant will contribute to doubling Botswana’s current effective generating capacity, while the integration of battery energy storage technologies will enhance the reliability of the national grid and support demand management during peak times, ensuring the provision of renewable and sustainable energy supplies around the clock.
Furthermore, the cooperation agreement between Minerals Development Oman (MDO) and the Exploration Investment Company Botswana (EICB) in the field of mining exploration aims to enhance the strategic partnership in the areas of exploration and geological evaluation of mineral wealth in the Republic of Botswana, leading to the joint development of a producing mine.
The cooperation includes the exchange of expertise and geological data, technical capacity building, and the study of joint investment opportunities in a number of strategic minerals, thereby contributing to supporting sustainable development, knowledge transfer, and enhancing added value in the mining sector.
(Source: ONA)
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