14 Mar 2024

Parliament has approved Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ budget for financial year 2024/2025 totalling P855.5 million as presented by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Lemogang Kwape on Wednesday.

Out of this total amount, P767.8 million is for recurrent expenditure, while P87.6 million is for development expenditure

Dr Kwape said under the requested development budget of P87.6 million, the purchase of chancery building in Japan would cost P6 million and that the funds were requested to conclude the purchase process, and also include refurbishment of the currently rented property.

He said the construction of chancery building and diplomatic apartments in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia had been budgeted for P3.6 million and renovation and refurbishment of the ministry office building, which included building of new extension joining Block-A and Block-B building would cost of P13. 9 million.

Dr Kwape said renovation of properties in Washington, DC had been budgeted at  P4. 4 million,  renovation of residential properties in Windhoek, Namibia budgeted P1.3 million as well as renovation of the Chancery building at Brussels, Belgium at a cost of P10.6 million while the purchase of official residence of high commission in Kenya would cost P30 million.

Other development projects include renovations at New York chancery, renovation of state guest house II at a cost of P4 million each. Dr Kwape said the ministry’s recurrent budget for the financial year 2024/25 would cover its personal emoluments at a cost of P356.8 million, which represented 46.47 per cent of the budget.

“The ministry’s personal emoluments budget goes to payment of basic salaries, foreign service and medical allowances, and remuneration for locally recruited staff in the respective diplomatic missions abroad,” he said.

He said part of the recurrent budget would also be used to finance operational expenses at a cost of P371.2 million of which the bulk of it would be used towards payment of property rentals and rates for chanceries, residences at diplomatic missions, travel and transportation costs, maintenance and running expenses, including promotional activities.

Dr Kwape said the ministry would further require diplomatic missions to intensify trade, investment and tourism promotion activities in order to attract Foreign Direct Investment and contribute to the economic diversification agenda.When responding to MPs debates, Dr Kwape said Botswana would continue to cultivate a strong international visibility that had earned the country’s stripes to grow its relations with other countries.

To this end, he said Botswana’s presence at some international meetings had led to increased contacts and would lead to the growth of the economy.

Responding to the criticisms raised by some MPs about assisting with vehicles during funeral of the late Namibia President Dr Hage Geingob, he said Botswana was a friend to all and where possible, the country would continue to assist other countries in need.

When answering a question regarding how he capacitated citizens living along borders of neighbouring countries, Dr Kwape also said the ministry would strive to take its services to the people. ENDS