Botswana and North Korea come from far

For many in our country, the said diplomatic relations we have been having with North Korea have been relatively immaterial in the sense that we have little or no trade relations with the entire peninsula. In this case one would have to interrogate the role we have played in the said diplomatic relations. Was it just on paper, that we had any diplomatic relations with North Korea or is it just wishful thinking on the part of Botswana? In actual fact, the only reasonable project of any significance we have done with the North Koreans was the design and construction of the monument for the Three Dikgosi in Gaborone’s new central business district.

In July of 1976, the first president of the Republic of Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama embarked on a diplomatic tour of several countries in Asia to make friends. The countries included China, India, Sri Lanka and of course North Korea. We were just 10 years into our independence as a country, poor and little known. In this regard, the government of Botswana has severed a 38 year-old relationship with the North Korea.