13 Nov 2023

Botswana, Lesotho and Zambian foreign affairs employees participated in the 10th edition of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) games.

Teams from the three countries competed in various sporting codes, which were played in Gaborone over the weekend.

In an interview on the side lines of the games that were played mainly at Ba Isago University in Gaborone, the safety, health and environment coordinator at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Violet Losike said foreign affairs employees from the three countries engaged each other in the annual games through sport as a way of strengthening their bond even outside official duties.

She said only three countries managed to make it to the games, but that  eight countries were expected to participate, adding that they advanced various reasons for failing to turn up.

Losike said the annual games promoted “sport diplomacy, regional integration and interaction as well as enhancing friendship.”

She also noted that the last games were played in Lesotho in 2019 before the advent of COVID-19.

Losike said Botswana was scheduled to host the 2020 games, and that they were only resurrected in 2023.

The three teams engaged each other in codes such as snooker, football for men, volleyball, netball, chess, five aside football for women, marathon, golf as well as darts.

Activities of the day were concluded with an award dinner.ENDS