I welcome you all to this farewell dinner for President Mogae, who is retiring after serving this nation with commitment and diligence spanning a period of 40 years. President Mogae started his national service back in 1968. He took up post as Planning Officer in 1968 and progressed to become Director of Economic Affairs. He was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning from 1975 to 1976. He became Alternative Governor for Botswana at the International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 1971 to 1976. President Mogae served in various parastatal boards. He was Director, then later Chairman, Botswana Development Corporation, Representative of the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation, Director of the De Beers Botswana Mining Company (Pty) Limited (Diamond Mining Company) Botswana RST Limited, Bamangwato Concessions Limited, BCL Sales Limited and Bank of Botswana.
President Mogae served in Washington D.C. as Alternate and Executive Director, International Monetary Fund for Anglophone Africa from 1976 to 1980. He then came home to take up the position of Governor of the Bank of Botswana from 1980 to 1981. From 1982 to 1989 President Mogae was Permanent Secretary to the President, Secretary to the Cabinet and Supervisor of Elections.
