08 Jun 2025

President Advocate Duma Boko has appointed Mr Charles Masole Botswana’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), in New York.

A press statement from the Ministry for International Relations on Friday said Ambassador Masole presented his credentials to Mr António Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, on June 5 in New York, USA.

It says Ambassador Masole is a seasoned career diplomat with over 26 years in the foreign service.

Over the years, while serving in various capacities such as Botswana’s deputy permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, he made significant contribution in advancing Botswana’s foreign policy agenda, including leading the Botswana Human Rights team of experts in Geneva, during the country’s membership to the UN Human Rights Council in 2012 to 2017.

Ambassador Masole also played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Botswana Diplomatic Missions in Kenya and Australia.

Most recently, he served as the ministry’s Department of Europe and the Americas, director.

Prior to this role, he was the Department of Africa and the Middle East director in which capacity, led a team that actively facilitated Botswana’s chairmanship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security from August 2020 to August 2021).

This afforded Botswana an opportunity to make an invaluable contribution in advancing regional peace and security as well as the consolidation of democracy.

He also served as commissioner in the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Livestock Rustling.

As Botswana’s envoy to the UN in New York, Ambassador Masole is expected to play a critical role in facilitating the country’s participation in the UN system and its support for the global development agenda and multilateralism.

The press statement says Ambassador Masole takes over from ambassador, Dr Gladys Mokhawa who recently concluded her tour of duty. ENDS