14 Jul 2022

UN Secretary-General António Gutteres has lauded Botswana’s positive role in international affairs and its contribution to the multilateralism in the UN system. 

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi revealed this in an interview with BOPA following tête-à-têtes with Mr Gutteres and UN General Assembly president, Mr Abdulla Shahid at the UN headquarters here Tuesday.

He said Mr Gutteres praised Botswana’s effort as a member of the international community and its good stewardship of the presidency of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Botswana will relinquish the council’s presidency at the end of this month after assuming the role a year ago. 

Botswana’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Ambassador Collen Kelapile has been serving as president of the council. 

President Masisi said he had also spoken to the UN leadership about efforts to build back better in the aftermath of COVID-19, and also discussed the political situation in Southern Africa. 

He said he stressed to the UN leadership the importance of international assistance toward rebuilding Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado region and eliminating the threat of terrorist insurgency. 

He added that SADC states had helped to bring stability to Mozambique, but now needed international assistance. 

Dr Masisi also said that he told the UN leadership that sanctions against Zimbabwe were futile as they affected ordinary citizens and placed a burden on that country’s economy with the effects spilling over to its neighbours. BOPA