08 Dec 2015

Parliament has been informed that since 2008, there have been a number of high level/summit meetings of various organisations to which Botswana is a member of.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said about 16 SADC meetings, two SACU meetings, 16 AU Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government meetings and four Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held once every two years were held. 

She said there were also eight general debates of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, two Africa Caribbean and Pacific Group States Summit and two ACP of States and the European Union (EU) Summits.

Meanwhile, Minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi said out of all these meetings, President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama personally attended nine out of 16 SADC meetings, all two SACU meeting of which Botswana hosted the inaugural session, attended none of the AU, none United Nations General Assembly, attended two out of the four CHOGM and none of the ACP-EU meetings.

She added that other meetings attended by President Khama included the 21^st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Paris, France, on 30 November 2015; the 5^th Tokyo International Conference on African Development which was held in Yokohama, Japan, in June 2013, and the 10^th session of the Assembly of State Parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the United Nations Headquarters in 2011 where he delivered the keynote address.  

Minister Venson-Moitoi told Parliament that it has not been possible for President Khama to participate in all the international meetings because of other competing national priorities or conflicting schedules.

She further told Parliament that it was internationally permitted for a country to be represented at such international meetings at any of the following levels; Heads of State and Government; Vice President or duly delegated minister with full powers.

She said in some cases, ambassadors/envoys accredited to that organisation or resident in that country hosting the meeting may represent their government. She added that in such instances, the rules of procedure of that organisation would stipulate how the envoys may participate.

The MP for Selebi-Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had asked the minister to state the number of meetings, summits of Heads of State and Governments of the AU, SADC, UN and other international bodies of which Botswana is a member that have taken place since April 2008.

He also wanted the minister to state among these meetings that were attended by President Khama, and those he did not attend and the reasons for non-attendance. Ends