09 Nov 2020

Development of Botswana’s foreign policy is at an advanced stage, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

Delivering State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) yesterday, he said the policy would coordinate engagements with the international community.

President Masisi said Botswana, as a member of the international community in good standing, continued to meet its international obligations.

To this end, he said, the country had an opportunity to participate in a number of international meetings to advance national interests.

These included the ninth African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group Summit in Kenya, which resulted in transformation of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group into the Organisation of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (OACP) and the SADC Virtual Ordinary Summit that took place in August.

Furthermore, he said Botswana participated at the World Economic Forum as part of ongoing efforts to secure multi-sectoral partnerships with a view to contribute towards economic diversification.

“On other international leadership roles, we have worked to enhance our representation in various regional and international organisations such as the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, the Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS, Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation,” he stated. ENDS