13 Feb 2017

Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi says government has chosen not to have a written foreign policy document owing to unprecedented shifts in policies as well as the dynamic and turbulent nature of world politics.
Dr Venson-Moitoi was responding to a question in Parliament last Thursday and reaffirmed that while Botswana did not have a written foreign policy, it should not be misconstrued to imply that the country did not have a foreign policy.
She explained that government had instead adopted guiding principles as articulated by the First President, Sir Seretse Khama in March 1970 that served as reference point for Members of Parliament. The initial principles, she said included democracy, development, self-reliance, unity, good neighbourliness, peaceful resolution of conflicts, territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations.
She stated that as Botswana’s engagement with the international community continued to increase, such principles were later expanded to include respect for human rights, respect for the rule of law and good governance, commitment to regional integration and multilateralism and promotion of just and equitable international economic and political order.
Further, she explained that core principles had guided Botswana’s foreign policy and her interaction with the international community well since the early years of independence.
“I hope you will agree with me that these principles are still as valid today as when they were first conceived. Most importantly, they give us the necessary flexibility to respond to the ever changing, dynamic and complex environment of global politics,” she said.
Again, she reiterated that a country’s foreign policy was determined by its domestic policies and national priorities, adding it was an application of the country’s values and aspirations.
“It has to constantly evolve in response to challenges and opportunities in the context of a country’s interaction with the international community. It follows that a written foreign policy is not always the best option,” she said. ENDS