Miller welcomes Mandela Washington Fellows

Mandela Washington Fellows and Ambassador Miller (with red tie on the front row)
Mandela Washington Fellows and Ambassador Miller (with red tie on the front row)

Welcome home, Mandela Washington Fellows! Twenty-six extremely talented young Batswana leaders – including entrepreneurs, scientists, and Government of Botswana officials – participated in a six-week academic residency at US universities as part of President Obama’s Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI).

Participants were hosted by universities across America, including Howard University in Washington, D.C., Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and the University of California at Berkeley. The programme included leadership seminars and mentoring and networking sessions, as well as community service opportunities and cultural outings. 

Fellows then travelled to Washington, D.C. to participate in a three-day Presidential Summit, which included a town hall meeting with President Obama and leaders in the US government, civil society, and private sector. Two members of Botswana’s delegation will stay in the United States for eight week internships.

Editor's Comment
Micro-procurement maze demands urgent reform

Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...

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