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Page 1: Botswana: Overview

His Excellency Mr. Molosiwa SelepengHigh Commissioner

Botswana High CommissionCanberra, Australia

Page 2: Botswana: Overview

Botswana is located in the heart of Sothern Africa, its capital city being Gaborone

It is landlocked and surrounded by South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia

Page 3: Botswana: Overview

Botswana is roughly the size of the USA state of Texas or France, spanning over 581 730 km2

Botswana is home to,

amongst others, the Okavango Delta, the Kalahari Desert as well as the Makgadikgadi Pans

Botswana is a very dry country with 70% of the land surface covered by the Kalahari Desert

Page 4: Botswana: Overview

Pre-IndependencePre-Independence

Protectorate of the Protectorate of the British EmpireBritish Empire

Road to IndependenceRoad to Independence

Discovery of diamondsDiscovery of diamonds

Page 5: Botswana: Overview

Multiparty democracy/General electionsMultiparty democracy/General elections

Organs of Government:Organs of Government: ExecutiveExecutive LegislatureLegislature JudiciaryJudiciary

Head of State and CabinetHead of State and Cabinet

National AssemblyNational Assembly

Ntlo ya Dikgosi/House of ChiefsNtlo ya Dikgosi/House of Chiefs

Page 6: Botswana: Overview

Diamonds (and other Diamonds (and other mineral resources) are the mineral resources) are the largest revenue earnerlargest revenue earner

Largest producer of Largest producer of diamonds, by value, diamonds, by value, worldwideworldwide

Tourism is the 2Tourism is the 2ndnd largest largest earner.earner.

Page 7: Botswana: Overview

Beef is exported Beef is exported primarily to the primarily to the European UnionEuropean Union

Burgeoning Burgeoning manufacturing sectormanufacturing sector

Development of coal Development of coal sectorsector

Page 8: Botswana: Overview

Botswana’Botswana’s population is s population is estimated at 2 millionestimated at 2 million

Botswana consists of various Botswana consists of various ethnic groupsethnic groups

Although made up of many tribes, Although made up of many tribes, the people consider themselves the people consider themselves Batswana, and the Tswana culture Batswana, and the Tswana culture cuts across all tribal culturescuts across all tribal cultures

The concept of ‘botho’ is The concept of ‘botho’ is embodied in all the tribesembodied in all the tribes

Page 9: Botswana: Overview

Botswana’s Foreign Policy is a Botswana’s Foreign Policy is a

reflection of its domestic policy and reflection of its domestic policy and

is guided byis guided by the National principles the National principles

of: democracy, development, self-of: democracy, development, self-

reliance, unity and Bothoreliance, unity and Botho

Page 10: Botswana: Overview

The basic tenets of Botswana’s The basic tenets of Botswana’s

foreign policy are:foreign policy are:

Non-alignment (cultivation of Non-alignment (cultivation of

friendly relations with all friendly relations with all

countries)countries)

Peaceful coexistence Peaceful coexistence

(peaceful resolution of all (peaceful resolution of all

conflicts)conflicts)

Non-interference (respect for Non-interference (respect for

the sovereign equality of all the sovereign equality of all

nations)nations)

Support for common causes of Support for common causes of

goodgood

Page 11: Botswana: Overview

The bilateral relationship between The bilateral relationship between Botswana and Australia has continued to Botswana and Australia has continued to strengthen, underpinned by:strengthen, underpinned by:

Warm and genuine friendship built on Warm and genuine friendship built on close cooperation in the close cooperation in the Commonwealth Commonwealth

Strong people-to-people linksStrong people-to-people links Trade and investment collaborationTrade and investment collaboration

Page 12: Botswana: Overview

Australia and Botswana co-operate Australia and Botswana co-operate on a wide spectrum of areas, on a wide spectrum of areas, including, but not limited to, including, but not limited to, education, agriculture, health, education, agriculture, health, mining and environmentmining and environment