25 Aug 2026

Government is troubled by the rise in reports of Batswana being recruited or targeted to participate in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

Making a statement in Parliament, the Minister for International Relations, Dr Phenyo Butale said there was increasing involvement of Batswana in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the conduct of some of the nationals abroad, particularly in relation to immigration laws, visa conditions, overstaying and the misuse of immigration and asylum processes. He said though the matters occurred beyond the borders of Botswana, their consequences reverberated at home, affecting individuals, families, government and ultimately the reputation and opportunities of Batswana as a whole. 

“We continue to receive troubling reports of our people being lured by offers disguised as employment, training or security work, only to be thrust onto the front lines of a foreign war, ensnared in active hostility they never sought,” he added. 

To date, Dr Butale stated that nearly 22 Batswana have been drawn into these deceptive recruitment schemes. 

Dr Butale noted that through vigilance and close collaboration with sister countries, the government managed to stop and return eight of them, intercepted at the very threshold of departure at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, OR Tambo International Airport, and Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, and rescued just moments before they were carried into the machinery of war. 

Some, he said argued that their journeys were a personal choice but expressed concern that many were lured and only upon reaching the front lines, did they realised they had placed themselves in the jaws of danger.

 Furthermore, the minister highlighted that the government remained deeply troubled by the reactions of a small number of citizens to public advisories about the dangers of enlisting in foreign conflicts. 

“Some of these reactions suggest that the pursuit of livelihood is seen as outweighing the safety and security of our people, a sentiment as heart breaking as it is perilous,” he said. 

Dr Butale said government position was equivocal as Botswana laws governed the enlistment of citizens and passport holders in the military service of foreign states. 

He reiterated that no individual could evade the reach of the law by disguising foreign military engagement as employment or training, citing that the substance remained the same and the law saw it clearly. 

The minister therefore appealed to young people to exercise the utmost caution before accepting any foreign military employment or training offer, noting that such invitations might glitter with promises of high salaries, travel and other opportunities. 

Dr Butale also warned that once the person stepped into a conflict zone or fell under foreign military authority, government’s ability to rescue them became gravely limited. 

“I am encouraged that some of our citizens have heeded our call reaching out to my ministry before acting on offers originating from war torn regions and I plead with legislators to carry this message into every constituency. 

Families and communities must remain vigilant, sharing information and strengthening awareness so that fewer Batswana are drawn into deception,” he stated. 

Dr Butale also noted that government would continue to assist citizens who were genuinely deceived, trafficked or coerced abroad but cautioned that citizens must also honour the law and refrain from knowingly placing themselves in harm’s way. 

The government, he said was also concerned with Batswana who travel, study, work or reside abroad, citing that they were witnessing a trend, countries that once welcomed holders of Botswana passports without visas were steadily tightening their entry requirements. 

He said that was deeply concerning as his ministry had long pursued a deliberate strategy to strengthen the Botswana passport by expanding visa-free agreements through trust, cooperation and international goodwill. 

Despite citizens benefiting from that goodwill for decades, he said they were now seeing a sharp and unsettling escalation in the number of Batswana seeking asylum beyond the borders, noting that government recognised asylum as a legitimate legal process when genuine grounds existed. 

“Our concern is not with lawful claims but with deliberate abuse, false declarations, overstaying, working in breach of visitor conditions or using an immigration status for purposes wholly different from those permitted,” he added. 

He said in October 2025, the United Kingdom imposed a visitor visa requirement on Botswana nationals, citing misuse of visitor rules and persistently high asylum claims of 1 332 between 2022 and June 2025 including 642 lodged at ports of entry. 

Dr Butale appealed to all Batswana to recognise that the country’s international reputation was a national asset, noting that the confidence other nations placed in Botswana opened doors for citizens to travel, study, work and trade, hence they must safeguard that trust by doing the right thing. ENDS