Botswana gradually reasserting herself in world affairs

Botswana gradually reasserting herself in world affairs Botswana seeks to reassert her position as a member of the international comity of nations and more importantly, a member in good standing at the African Union. The country’s foreign policy is gradually shifting from what was earlier perceived as ‘rooftop diplomacy’ to that of constructive engagement with peer nations. This has become evidently clear since President Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi ascended to the highest office in the land. We have witnessed how he visited almost all the Southern African Development Coomunity (SADC) member states to share his vision and assure them of Botswana’s commitment to the objectives of regional integration that the regional economic bloc aspires to achieve. President Dr. Masisi has also actively attended and participated in the United Nations Assembly where he outlined Botswna’s position in world affairs and articulated the challenges facing Africa and Botswana particularly. In the same breadth, our Foreign Minister, Dr. Unity Dow has also been a busy lady, hardly finding time to be at home. She has in the shortest period of her tenure as Minister for Foreign Affairs and international cooperation, managed to do effective reconnaisance for the President. This will be more evident this weekend when Dr Masisi and his foreign minister, joined by other senior government officials, participate in the 11th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Summit’s purpose is two-fold, to discuss the institutional reforms of the African Union, particularly to reform the AU Commission to ensure that it becomes effective and able to deliver on the AU’s blueprint - Agenda 2063 - which envisages ‘The Africa We Want.’ Secondly the Summit will discuss the outcomes of the 19th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council on the ACP post 2020 Framework. For Botswana, the ACP post 2020 Framework is particularly important, given that as a member of the Africa, Carribbean and Pacific (ACP) Nations, we have signed the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) under the SADC configuration. At this Extraordinary Session, it is hoped the Heads of State and Government of the African Union will agree on an African Common Position on the Cotonou Partnership Agreement Post 2020. The Midweek Sun encourages the President’s forays into foreign lands as he lures investors and opens markets for our products, as well as enhance the bond of friendship and brotherhood that we share with our fellow brothers and sisters. As they say, united we stand, divided we fall.