On Gaborone's foreign policy during COVID-19 and beyond
Friday, August 07, 2020
From the helm: President Masisi is charting the country's foreign policy PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its broad impact on the country will require the presidency to radically rethink and review the strategic underpinnings and operational modalities of Botswana’s foreign policy.
Chief amongst these underpinnings, are two issues, namely, Botswana’s place in Africa and as an offshoot of that, its ‘Africa Agenda’ and multilateral agenda. Secondly, a comprehensive white paper that will inform and drive his economic diplomacy agenda.
It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...