25 Aug 2026

Parliament has passed the Counter Terrorism Amendment Bill of 2026 that intends to amend the Counter Terrorism Act to satisfy international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). 

The proposed Bill amends Cab 08:08 in the Act to align Botswana’ legal framework with the FATF requirements as they relate to the Targeted Financial Sanctions (TFS).

 It was presented by the Assistant Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Ms Maipelo Mophuting-Dikoloti on Friday.

 In support of the Bill, MP for Okavango West, Mr Kenny Kapinga noted that the proposed legislature was ideal, citing that terrorism remained a threat to international security and stability, yet it had been with humanity for centuries. 

Botswana, he said was lucky to escape terrorism crisis that happened in other countries where there was mass displacement, deaths, severe economic contraction and children being exploited and stated that the Bill would protect the country from being exploited by terrorism networks.

He also underscored the need for government to run the country in a democratic manner to avoid terrorism acts. 

MP for Letlhakeng, Brigadier Domcaza Mokgwathi also supported the proposed Bill saying Botswana did not exist in isolation and as such, should comply with the set international standards. High unemployment rate, he said, could act as a contributing factor to terrorism but stated that government had a duty to prevent that by stimulating job creation. 

MP for Chobe, Mr Simasuku Mapulanga argued that the Bill was critical to address the deficiencies identified to ensure compliance. Terrorism, he said, had the potential to destroy the country’s reputation, hence the need to have the right tools to protect the financial systems and the people. 

Mr Kgoberego Nkawana of Selebi-Phikwe East emphasised that government should make amendments that would be understood by people. Earlier, Ms Mophuting-Dikoloti told the house that the purpose of the Bill was to amend the Counter Terrorism Act Cab to align Botswana’ legal framework with the FATF requirements. 

The government, she said passed the Counter Terrorism Act in 2014 establishing the counter terrorism analysis and fusion division, which was under the Directorate of Intelligence and Security as custodian of the Bill. 

The primary mandate of the division is to provide for measures to combat terrorism and its financing. 

However, she stated that Botswana would go for the third mutual evaluation in 2027, which was intended to assess the country’s anti-money laundering, counter financing of terrorism, counter proliferation financing regime. 

The mutual evaluation process, she said, required countries to demonstrate the degree to which the predetermined FATF standards were actually being implemented. Furthermore, Ms Mophuting-Dikoloti stated that non-compliance jurisdictions were included on the FATF grey-list depending on the nature and degree of non-compliance. 

“Being listed on the FATF could have negative devastating consequences for our country such as delisting including the loss of correspondent banking relationships and increased costs of inability to complete cross border transactions,” she said. 

She also highlighted that such could sound like technical matters but it was ordinary Batswana who felt the impact.

The country, she said had worked hard to strengthen its standing in the international financial system, hence could not afford to lose that progress especially at a time when the economy was already under pressure, saying they must avoid adding further strain. 

She said engagement with the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti Money Laundering Group, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and local experts had identified some efficiencies in the country’s counter terrorism legal framework and it was against this backdrop that the amendments were proposed. ENDS