21 Feb 2016

Botswana is a beacon of peace and stability and its relationship with the rest of the world is worth celebrating.

This was said by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi in Parliament.

Responding to Members of Parliament’s debate on her ministry’s recurrent and development budget estimates for the financial year 2016/17, Dr Venson-Motoi said despite the adverse political environment prevailing now the government of Botswana has chosen to protect the ideals of democracy something she said a few countries can boast about.

“Botswana has demonstrated peace and stability over the last fifty years. Don’t belittle your contribution even if you are on the other side of the isle.
 People listen when Botswana speaks,” she said.

Dr Venson-Moitoi explained to the House that her government has had the audacity to tell the rest of the world that they cannot be deterred from voicing their opinion when they believed that democracy was at the receiving end.

“Botswana has spoken against some undemocratic practices. We have issued statements following the recent Uganda elections, the political instability in Syria and North Korea.We don’t believe in what seemingly does not promote the ideals of democracy,” said Dr Venson-Moitoi.

Dr Venson-Moitoi said everybody on the South China Sea was a friend to Botswana and government spoke against unfair practices that were seemingly offending democratic practices. She said Botswana issued a general statement that the activities there had the potential to disturb peace.

She said some unscrupulous media houses misconstrued Botswana’s stance on the matter. Earlier, Tati East MP Mr Samson Guma-Moyo had pleaded with the minister to nurture affable relationships with neighboring countries for peace to prevail especially in villages on the border line.

He said the villagers of Matsiloje and Matlopi were living in perpetual fear of either Foot and Mouth or donkey rustling syndicates from neighboring Zimbabwe.

Gabane-Mmankgodi MP Major General Pius Mokgware supported the minister’s requests and said her ministry could do better with enough funds.  He said Botswana’s foreign missions were in an appalling state.

He pleaded with the minister to engage youth especially graduates who studied internationals relations in these embassies. He urged government to support Batswana who were vying for international posts like they did with Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba who was running for the Commonwealth Secretary General post. ENDS