Foreign affairs targets stir in Botswana diplomatic policy
Lewanika Timothy | Monday February 17, 2025 13:14
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Phenyo Butale, recently revealed to Mmegi that the government of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) intends to develop a guiding written foreign policy position for the country, a move that has been preached by past administrations since 2011.
Responding to questions posed by Mmegi, Butale said the new government has its own interests and plans on how to navigate the dicey diplomatic world but is yet to develop a formal foreign policy guide.
“The ministry is actively advancing the codification of Botswana’s foreign policy. Currently, aspects of Botswana’s foreign policy are expressed through various government statements and ministerial actions. However, the establishment of a formal written policy is seen as essential to provide clearer objectives” he said
“This multifaceted strategy reflects a nuanced shift toward a more holistic and diversified diplomatic agenda, aimed at elevating Botswana’s profile on the global stage,” he said
In 2011, Botswana kick-started its early efforts to develop a comprehensive Foreign Affairs Policy Framework spearheaded by the then Minister of Foreign affairs, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi. However, by 2017, these plans were shelved. The then Minister of Foreign Affairs cited the “dynamic and turbulent nature of world politics” as a primary reason for abandoning the initiative.
She emphasised that a fixed policy might not offer the necessary agility to respond to rapid global changes. Instead, Botswana opted to adhere to foundational principles articulated by its first president, Sir Seretse Khama, in 1970. These include democracy, peaceful resolution of conflicts, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of nations. The absence of a codified foreign policy has occasionally drawn criticism. Observers have labelled Botswana’s diplomatic approach as “roof-top diplomacy” and characterised by some decisions that are reactive.
Concerns have also been raised about perceptions among regional peers, suggesting that Botswana’s stances might sometimes be viewed as insufficiently Pan-Africanist, potentially affecting its bids for positions in inter-parliamentary bodies.
Despite these critiques, the government has in the past maintained that its flexible, principle-based approach is advantageous. This strategy allows Botswana to adapt swiftly to global shifts without being constrained by a rigid policy framework.
The problem is that Botswana’s diplomatic tone has changed and remained unstable during different tenures of different Presidents.
The country’s foreign policy has been relatively unstable suffering mass regression under the regime of Ian Khama. This can be starkly seen during times when Botswana criticised the so-called undemocratic regimes such as China over the Tibet diplomatic saga, Zimbabwe, Syria, Libya, Madagascar and others.
During the time when Ivory Coast was entangled in a domestic conflict over a disputed election, Botswana announced its readiness to host one of the claimants to the throne, Alassane Ouattara. This was recklessly said in the midst of an internal conflict.
Following the 2008 Zimbabwe’s disputed elections, Khama was very clear that the Botswana government did not recognise Robert Mugabe as the winner and president. Ordinarily, the non-alliance policy would have kicked in and Botswana would have stayed away from commenting on other countries’ affairs. Zimbabwe’s government hit back at Botswana’s then-president Khama following his comments asking Mugabe to step down.
Officials in Zimbabwe kicked back and said, “The government of Zimbabwe is shocked by this uncharacteristic behaviour on the part of Khama. It is taboo in African etiquette and diplomacy,” Zimbabwe’s then Information Minister Chris Mushohwe said in a statement.
Khama, in an interview with Reuters news agency in 2016 went on again to condemn Mugabe, saying Mugabe should step aside without delay for the sake of Zimbabwe and the region, comments that “shocked” officials in Zimbabwe. Shortly after Khama, former president Mokgweetsi Masisi came in and set out to quench the hunger of diplomacy the country had been dying in under Khama. Masisi asserted himself as the chief economic diplomat. The pandemic had forced a shift to his modus operandi. Masisi emerged from the vice presidency as a jet-setting head of state who lived for the face-to-face interactions at global fora. He took over when Botswana’s diplomatic engagements at the head-of-state level had experienced a decade-long sabbatical.
The agenda was simple, to re-engage with the world and take up our seat at the table while drawing on our age-long international credibility and goodwill to win back the hearts and minds of investors. The President’s outlook and appetite for economic diplomacy was visible. His choices of international diplomatic engagements were interesting and peculiar, but not out of the ordinary for a modern President. The globalist crusade invoked a nostalgia of the Mogae era when Botswana was still considered the darling of the world.
Boko is yet to meet his whole team of diplomats and share his diplomatic direction with them. God knows what they are doing in the Diaspora without clear directions from the First Citizen.
Foreign policy decisions are premised on factors such as the resource base of the country, its geography in relation to others, the nature and level of development of its economy, its demographic profile, its ideology and or political beliefs and fundamental national values. The international environment, currently the new world order and globalisation, also influence foreign policies of almost all countries.