Foreign relations of Botswana

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Botswana
Coat of arms of Botswana.svg
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Botswana
Constitution

Botswana has put a premium on economic and political integration in southern Africa. It has sought to make the Southern African Development Community (SADC) a working vehicle for economic development, and it has promoted efforts to make the region self-policing in terms of preventive diplomacy, conflict resolution, and good governance. The SADC headquarters are located in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. It has welcomed post-apartheid South Africa as a partner in these efforts. Botswana joins the African consensus on most major international matters and is a member of international organizations, such as the United Nations and the African Union. Botswana is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98).

Botswana has a small number of diplomatic missions abroad.

Bilateral relations[edit]

Country Formal Relations Began Notes
 Belize 28 February 2008

Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 February 2008.[1]

 Croatia 9 September 2005

Diplomatic relations between Botswana and Croatia were established on 9 September 2005.[2][3]

 Cyprus 22 February 2005

Diplomatic relations between Botswana and Cyprus were established on 22 February 2005.[4]

 Dominica 23 July 2007

Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 July 2007.[5]

 Georgia 5 November 2015

Diplomatic relations between Georgia and Botswana were established on 5 November 2015.

 Greece

Botswana is represented in Greece through its Permanent Representation to the United Nation Office in Geneva, Switzerland, and Greece is represented in Botswana through its embassy in Pretoria, South Africa.[6]

 Guinea Bissau 22 March 2010

Botswana and Guinea-Bissau established diplomatic relations on 22 March 2010.[7]

 Guyana 28 October 1975
  • Both countries have established diplomatic relations on 28 October 1975.[8]
  • Guyana is covered through the Botswana Mission in New York, USA.[9]
  • Both countries are full members of Commonwealth of Nations.
 India See Botswana–India relations
 Indonesia
 Israel See Botswana–Israel relations
 Latvia 17 March 2003

Both countries established diplomatic relations on March 17, 2003[13].

 Lithuania 17 February 2004

Both countries established diplomatic relations on February 17, 2004[14].

 Malawi

Both countries are full members of the Southern African Development Community, Commonwealth of Nations and of the Non-Aligned Movement.

 Malta 6 January 2005
  • Both countries established diplomatic relations on January 6, 2005[15].
  • Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
 Mexico 5 December 1965
  • Botswana is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.[16]
  • Mexico is accredited to Botswana from its embassy in Pretoria, South Africa[17] and maintains an honorary consulate in Gaborone.[18]
 North Korea 22 March 1990[19] See Botswana–North Korea relations
 Namibia See Botswana–Namibia relations

Botswana–Namibia relations are friendly, with the two neighbouring countries cooperating on economic development. Botswana gained independence from Britain in September 1966. Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990 following the Namibian War of Independence. Botswana has a high commission in Windhoek.[20] Namibia has a high commission in Gaborone.[21]

 Panama 15 December 2009

Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 December 2009.[22]

 Romania 7 October 1971

Diplomatic relations between Botswana and Romania were established on 7 October 1971.[23]

 Russia 6 March 1940 See Botswana–Russia relations

Botswana and the Soviet Union initiated diplomatic relations on 6 March 1970. Despite its pro-Western orientation, Botswana participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics. The present-day relations between the two countries are described as friendly and long standing. In March, the two countries also celebrated the 35th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. According to the minister of Foreign Affairs, Russia was one of the first countries to establish full diplomatic relations with Botswana.[24]

Trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Botswana are stipulated by the Trade Agreement of 1987 and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation of 1988. The Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Botswana signed the Agreement on Cultural, Scientific and Educational Cooperation in September 1999. Russia and Botswana have had fruitful cooperation in a variety of fields, particularly in human resource development. And Russia is still offering more scholarship in key sectors such as health, which is currently experiencing a critical shortage of manpower. Botswana also is one of the countries where Russian citizens do not require a visa.[25] Russia has an embassy in Gaborone, while Botswana covers Russia from its embassy in Stockholm (Sweden) and an honorary consulate in Moscow.

 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2007
  • Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 February 2007[26].
  • Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
 Samoa 18 March 2010

Botswana and Samoa established diplomatic relations on 18 March 2010.[7]

 Serbia 1970

Diplomatic relations between Botswana and Serbia were established in 1970.[27]

 Solomon Islands 17 November 2010
  • Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 November 2010[28].
  • Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
 South Africa See Botswana–South Africa relations
 South Korea 18 April 1968 See Botswana–South Korea relations

The establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Botswana began on 18 April 1968. In 2011 the number of South Koreans living in Botswana amounted to 163.[29] Since 2014, the government of Botswana recognized ROK as the sole legitimate government of Korea.[30]

  Switzerland 1967

Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1967[31].

 Turkey 1981

Diplomatic relations between Botswana and Turkey were established in 1981.[32]

 Ukraine 3 March 2004

Both countries established diplomatic relations on March 3, 2004[33].

 United States See Botswana–United States relations
Embassy of Botswana in Washington, D.C.

The United States considers Botswana an advocate of and a model for stability in Africa and has been a major partner in Botswana's development since its independence. The U.S. Peace Corps returned to Botswana in August 2002 with a focus on HIV/AIDS-related programs after concluding 30 years of more broadly targeted assistance in 1997. Similarly, the USAID phased out a long-standing bilateral partnership with Botswana in 1996, after successful programs emphasizing education, training, entrepreneurship, environmental management, and reproductive health. Botswana, however, continues to benefit along with its neighbours in the region from USAID's Initiative for Southern Africa, now based in Pretoria, and USAID's Southern Africa Global Competitiveness Hub, headquartered in Gaborone. The United States International Board of Broadcasters (IBB) operates a major Voice of America (VOA) relay station in Botswana serving most of the African continent.

In 1995, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) started the BOTUSA Project in collaboration with the Botswana Ministry of Health in order to generate information to improve tuberculosis control efforts in Botswana and elsewhere in the face of the TB and HIV/AIDS co-epidemics. Under the 1999 U.S. Government's Leadership and Investment in Fighting an Epidemic (LIFE) Initiative, CDC through the BOTUSA Project has undertaken many projects and has assisted many organizations in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Botswana. Botswana is one of the 15 focus countries for PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, and has received more than $230 million since the program began in January 2004 through September 2007. PEPFAR assistance to Botswana, which totalled $76.2 million in FY 2007, is contributing to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care interventions.

The Governments of Botswana and the United States entered into an agreement in July 2000 to establish an International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Gaborone. The academy, jointly financed, managed and staffed by the two nations, provides training to police and government officials from across the Sub-Saharan region. The academy's permanent campus, in Otse outside of Gaborone, opened March 2003. Over 3,000 law enforcement professionals from Sub-Saharan Africa have received training from ILEA since it began offering classes in 2001.

 Vietnam 11 February 2009

Both countries established diplomatic relations on February 11, 2009[34].

 Zimbabwe



Pakistan

Botswana still struggles to seal its border from thousands of Zimbabweans who flee economic collapse and political persecution. In 2015, 22,000 Zimbabweans were arrested and deported. This has increased to nearly 29,000 deportations in 2018. [35]

Botswana and the Commonwealth of Nations[edit]

Botswana has been a Commonwealth republic since independence in 1966.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "Bilateral Relations: B". Botswana: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  2. ^ http://www.mvep.hr/en/foreign-politics/bilateral-relations/date-of-recognition-and-establishment-of-diplomatic-relations/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ http://www.mvep.hr/en/foreign-politics/bilateral-relations/overview-by-country/botswana,161.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ http://www.mfa.gr/en/blog/greece-bilateral-relations/botswana/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ a b "Botswana establishes relations with Samoa, Guinea Bissau"[permanent dead link] 30 March 2010 Link retrieved 1 April 2010
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ [2]
  11. ^ [3]
  12. ^ [4]
  13. ^ [5]
  14. ^ [6]
  15. ^ [7]
  16. ^ Embassy of Botswana in the United States
  17. ^ Embassy of Mexico in South Africa
  18. ^ Honorary consulate of Mexico in Gaborone (in Spanish)
  19. ^ Wertz, Daniel; Oh, JJ; Kim, Insung (August 2016). Issue Brief: DPRK Diplomatic Relations (PDF). The National Committee on North Korea. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  20. ^ "Botswana High Commission Website in Namibia". Botswana Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 4 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  21. ^ "Namibia Embassy in Botswana". Retrieved 14 July 2009.
  22. ^ [8]
  23. ^ https://www.mae.ro/en/node/2187. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. ^ "WE MUST EXPLOIT RUSSIA'S POTENTIAL". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  25. ^ "Botswana-Russia relations". Archived from the original on 29 March 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  26. ^ [9]
  27. ^ http://www.mfa.gov.rs/en/foreign-policy/bilateral-issues/96-bilateral-issues/12246-botswana. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ^ [10]
  29. ^ http://www.mofa.go.kr/ENG/countries/middleeast/countries/20070804/1_24503.jsp?menu=m_30_50[permanent dead link]
  30. ^ "Botswana Cuts Ties with North Korea". www.gov.bw. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. 20 February 2014. Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  31. ^ [11]
  32. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 April 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  33. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  34. ^ [12]
  35. ^ Dube, Mqondisi (14 August 2019). "Botswana Battles Influx of Zimbabwean Illegal Immigrants". Voice of America. Retrieved 25 August 2019.

References[edit]

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Department of State website https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1830.htm#relations.

External links[edit]

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