12 Aug 2026

Government is considering establishment of a Border Patrol Management Authority with implementation planned for NDP 12. Answering a question from in Parliament, the Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Moeti Mohwasa said already, consultations and benchmarking exercises were ongoing towards establishing the authority. “Government is in the process of appointing a Deputy Director for Boundary Management, responsible for promoting border management and security and ensuring the integrity of boundary lines for territorial integrity,” he explained. He said establishment of the authority were part of efforts aimed at enhancing security along Botswana’s national borders.He said in the interim, border management was being handled through through a multi-agency approach involving different ministries and departments responsible for border control. These include the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Botswana Police Service, Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS), BDF and Mophato regimes. He further said government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, was encouraging communities to form Mophato regimes under the leadership of Dikgosi and in accordance with developed guidelines. Mr Moeti Mohwasa said the major cross-border crimes encountered included livestock rustling or stock theft, smuggling of goods and illicit drugs, vehicle trafficking and poaching.Okavango East MP Mr Gabotsholwe Disho had wanted to know measures in place to address security challenges posed by the country’s long and porous international border, noting that numerous incidents of cross-border crime were reported every year. ENDS