�Unclear� objectives hinder Foreign Affairs
Bame Piet | Tuesday June 2, 2015 15:43
A member of the committee, Ndaba Gaolathe shared his observations yesterday when questioning the permanent secretary, Lapologang Lekowa.
“I have made an observation that your ministry has no clear objectives and ends up being general, and you are now trying to do everything,” he said. He was responding to the PS’ earlier utterances that the ministry’s mandate is to coordinate and facilitate the projects and endeavours of other ministries that require assistance from foreign stakeholders.
Gaolathe said the ministry should focus on selling the country’s vast coal resources to the South African government, and if necessary, set up a camp at the offices of the minister responsible for energy affairs. Since Eskom recently announced that it was looking for electricity from neighbouring states, Gaolathe said that this was an opportunity for Botswana to secure a Power Purchase Agreement with the company and immediately build a power station.
He said that exporting 3000MW to Eskom has potential to change this country’s fortunes, as there will be more employment opportunities and economic growth.
“By exporting just 3000MW of electricity to Eskom, this country’s economic landscape will change, and you would have done a great job than all your other endeavours combined,” he advised. However, Lekowa said the two countries have strong economic and political ties through the Joint Commission adding that, the leadership of the two countries have embraced the relationship. He said that the ministry facilitates negotiations between separate ministries through the country’s missions in other countries. Lekowa said that even the negotiations around the sharing of Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) revenues, which involve the ministry of Finance and Development Planning, it is his ministry that is facilitating the processes.
Another example, he said, is the trade agreements between Botswana and other countries, as well as others at continental level, such as the Africa Growth Opportunity for Act (AGOA), which expires at the end of this year. Recently, a delegation of minister of trade from Africa went to the United States of America to negotiate that the arrangement stays in place indefinitely, he stated. The issue of the need for a codified Foreign Policy cropped up again, raised by MP for Selebi Phikwe West Dithapelo Keorapetse who stated that it should reflect the values and principles of the citizenry.
Lekowa confirmed that the draft policy is at an advanced stage and that they have consulted as many stakeholders as possible to come up with it. He said that they will soon submit their draft to cabinet and was hopeful that by end of the year the draft would have reached the national Assembly.
MP Shawn Ntlhaile raised concern that the ministry is used as a “dumping ground” for failed politicians, and that there are some destinations that are preserved for Batswana of Caucasian origin.
“It is evident that some assignments in Europe are for Caucasian Batswana and they serve as retirement holidays for these individuals.”
Lekowa responded that he was not aware that the ministry was a dumping ground, and that he was not aware if there were some destinations that were a preserve for Batswana of Caucasian origin. He stated that there are instances of political appointees in diplomacy, adding that this has had no impact on the morale of career diplomats in his ministry. He said that things were going well for Batswana working in foreign missions across the world.
He said that Botswana’s embassies have performed well in sharing investment opportunities for local companies and they have engaged BOCCIM and other stakeholders to engage local companies.