Botswana

Compiled from the December 2006 Background Note and supplemented with additional information from the State Department and the editors of this volume. See the introduction to this set for explanatory notes.

Official Name:
Republic of Botswana

PROFILE

PEOPLE AND HISTORY

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

ECONOMY

DEFENSE

FOREIGN RELATIONS

U.S.-BOTSWANA RELATIONS

TRAVEL

PROFILE

Geography

Area: 582,000 sq. km. (224,710 sq. mi.), about the size of Texas.

Cities: (2001 census) Capital—Gaborone (pronounced ha-bo-ro-neh), pop. 186,007. Other towns—Francistown (83,023), Selebi-Phikwe (49,849), Molepolole (54,561), Kanye (40,628), Serowe (42,444), Mahalapye (39,719), Lobatse (29,689), Maun (43,776), Mochudi (36,962).

Terrain: Desert and savanna.

Climate: Mostly subtropical.

People

Nationality: Noun and adjective—Motswana (sing.), Batswana (pl.).

Population: (2003) 1.76 million.

Annual population growth rate: (2002) 0.6%.

Ethnic groups: Tswana 79%; Kalanga 11%; Kgalagadi, Herero, Bayeyi, Hambukush, Basarwa (“San”), Khoi, whites 10%.

Religions: Christianity 70%, none 20%, indigenous beliefs 6%, other 4%.

Languages: English (official), Setswana, Ikalanga.

Education: Adult literacy—81%.

Health: (2004) Life expectancy—33.9 years. Infant mortality rate—56/1,000.

Work force: (2003) 274,000.

Government

Type: Republic, parliamentary democracy.

Independence: September 30, 1966.

Constitution: March 1965.

Government branches: Executive—president (chief of state and head of government), cabinet. Legislative—popularly elected National Assembly; advisory House of Chiefs. Judicial—High Court, Court of Appeal, local and customary courts, industrial labor court.

Political subdivisions: Five town councils and nine district councils.

Political parties: Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)—48 seats, Botswana National Front (BNF)—12 seats, Botswana Congress Party (BCP)—1 seat, Botswana Alliance Movement (BAM), Botswana Peoples Party (BPP)—0 seats.

Suffrage: Universal at 18.

Economy

Nominal GDP: (2004/5) $9.2 billion.

Real GDP growth rate: (2004/5) 5.1%

Per capita nominal GDP: (2004/5) $5,336.

Natural resources: Diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, soda ash, salt, gold, potash.

Agriculture: (2.1% of GDP, 2004/5) Products—livestock, sorghum, white maize, millet, cowpeas, beans.

Industry: Types—mining (38% of GDP) diamonds, copper, nickel, coal; tourism, textiles, construction, tourism, beef processing, chemical products production, food and beverage production.

Trade: (2003/4) Exports—$2.9 billion: diamonds, nickel, copper, meat products, textiles, hides, skins, and soda ash. Partners—EU, South Africa, Zimbabwe. Imports—$2.9 billion: machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals, fuels. Major suppliers—South Africa, EU, and U.S.

PEOPLE AND HISTORY

The Batswana, a term also used to denote all citizens of Botswana, refers to the country’s major ethnic group (the “Tswana” in South Africa), which came into the area from South Africa during the Zulu wars of the early 1800s. Prior to European contact, the Batswana lived as herders and farmers under tribal rule.

In the 19th century, hostilities broke out between the Batswana and Boer settlers from the Transvaal. After appeals by the Batswana for assistance, the British Government in 1885 put “Bechuanaland” under its protection. The northern territory remained under direct administration and is today’s Botswana, while the southern territory became part of the Cape Colony and is now part of the northwest province of South Africa; the majority of Setswana-speaking people today live in South Africa.

Despite South African pressure, inhabitants of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, Basuotoland (now Lesotho), and Swaziland in 1909 asked for and received British assurances that they would not be included in the proposed Union of South Africa. An expansion of British central authority and the evolution of tribal government resulted in the 1920 establishment of two advisory councils representing Africans and Europeans. Proclamations in 1934 regularized tribal rule and powers. A European-African advisory council was formed in 1951, and the 1961 constitution established a consultative legislative council.

In June 1964, Britain accepted proposals for democratic self-government in Botswana. The seat of government was moved from Mafikeng, in South Africa, to newly established Gaborone in 1965. The 1965 constitution led to the first general elections and to independence in September 1966. Seretse Khama, a leader in the independence movement and the legitimate claimant to traditional rule of the Bamangwato, was elected as the first president, reelected twice, and died in office in 1980. The presidency passed to the sitting vice president, Ketumile Masire, who was elected in his own right in 1984 and re-elected in 1989 and 1994. Masire retired from office in 1998. The presidency passed to the sitting vice president, Festus Mogae, who was elected in his own right in 1999. Mogae won a second term in elections held October 30, 2004.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

Botswana has a flourishing multiparty constitutional democracy. Each of the elections since independence has been freely and fairly contested and has been held on schedule. The country’s minority groups participate freely in the political process. There are three main parties and a number of smaller parties. In national elections in 2004, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) won 44 of 57 contested National Assembly seats, the Botswana National Front (BNF) won 12, and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) won 1 seat. Individuals elected by the National Assembly hold an additional 4 seats; the ruling BDP currently holds all 4. The opposition out-polled the ruling BDP in most urban areas. The openness of the country’s political system has been a significant factor in Botswana’s stability and economic growth. General elections are held every 5 years. The next general election will be held in October 2009.

The president has executive power and is chosen by the National Assembly following countrywide legislative elections. The cabinet is selected by the president from the National Assembly; it consists of a vice president and a flexible number of ministers and assistant ministers, currently 14 and 6, respectively. The National Assembly has 57 elected and 4 specially elected members; it is expanded following each census (every 10 years; the most recent was conducted in 2001).

The advisory House of Chiefs represents the eight principal subgroups of the Batswana tribe, and four other members are elected by the sub chiefs of four of the districts. A draft of any National Assembly bill of tribal concern must be referred to the House of Chiefs for advisory opinion. Chiefs and other leaders preside over customary traditional courts, though all persons have the right to request that their case be considered under the formal British-based legal system.

The roots of Botswana’s democracy lie in Setswana traditions, exemplified by the Kgotla, or village council, in which the powers of traditional leaders are limited by custom and law. Botswana’s High Court has general civil and criminal jurisdiction.

Judges are appointed by the president and may be removed only for cause and after a hearing. The constitution has a code of fundamental human rights enforced by the courts, and Botswana has a good human rights record.

Local government is administered by nine district councils and five town councils. District commissioners have executive authority and are appointed by the central government and assisted by elected and nominated district councilors and district development committees. There has been ongoing debate about the political, social, and economic marginalization of the San (indigenous tribal population). The government’s policies for the Basarwa (San) and other remote area dwellers continue to spark controversy.

Principal Government Officials

Last Updated: 9/26/2006

President: Festus Gontebanye MOGAE

Vice President: Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA

Min. of Agriculture: Johnny SWARTZ

Min. of Communications, Science, & Technology: Pelonomi VENSON

Min. of Environment, Wildlife, & Tourism: Kitso MOKAILA

Min. of Education: Jacob NKATE

Min. of Finance & Development Planning: Jacob GAOLATHE

Min. of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation: Mompati MERAFHE, Lt. Gen. (Ret.)

Min. of Health: Sheila TLOU

Min. of Labor & Home Affairs: Moeng PHETO, Maj. Gen.

Min. of Lands & Housing: Ramadeluka SERETSE

Min. of Local Government: Margaret NASHA

Min. of Minerals, Energy, & Water Affairs: Charles TIBONE

Min. of Presidential Affairs & Public Administration: Phandu SKELEMANI

Min. of Trade & Industry: Daniel Neo MOROKA

Min. of Works & Transportion: Lesego MOTSUMI

Asst. Min. of Agriculture: Peter SIELE

Asst. Min. of Labor & Home Affairs: Oliphant MFA

Asst. Min. of Local Government: Ambrose MASALILA

Attorney General: Azalea MOLOKOMME

Governor, Bank of Botswana: Linah MOHOHLO

Ambassador to the US: Lapologang Caesar LEKOA

Permanent Representative to the UN, New York: Samuel OUTLULE

Botswana maintains an embassy at 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036 (tel. 202-244-4990; fax 202-244-4164). Its mission to the United Nations is at 103 E. 37th Street, New York NY 10017 (tel. 212-889-2277; fax 212-725-5061).

ECONOMY

Since independence, Botswana has had the fastest growth in per capita income in the world. Economic growth averaged over 9% per year from 1967-97. The government has maintained a sound fiscal policy, despite three consecutive budget deficits in 2002–2004, and a negligible level of foreign debt. Foreign exchange reserves were $5 billion at the end of December 2005, equivalent to 22 months of imports of goods and services. Botswana’s impressive economic record has been built on the foundation of wisely using revenue generated from diamond mining to fuel economic development through prudent fiscal policies and a cautious foreign policy. However, economic development spending was cut by 10% in 2002/3 as a result of recurring budget deficits and rising expenditure on healthcare services. While development spending is budgeted to increase by 12.3% in the 2005/6 fiscal year, the bulk of the money will be spent on ongoing projects and maintenance rather than new infrastructure. Real GDP growth was expected to slow in 2005 to between 3% and 4% from its 5.7% growth rate in 2004. The government recognizes that HIV/AIDS will continue to affect the economy and is providing leadership and programs to combat the epidemic, including free anti-retroviral treatment and a nationwide Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission program.

Mining

Two large mining companies, Debswana (formed by the government and South Africa’s DeBeers in equal partnership) and Bamangwato Concessions, Ltd. (BCL, also with substantial government equity participation) operate in the country.

Since the early 1980s, the country has been the world’s largest producer of gem quality diamonds. Four large diamond mines have opened since independence. DeBeers prospectors discovered diamonds in northern Botswana in the late 1960s. The first mine began production at Orapa in 1972, followed by the smaller mines of Lethlakane and Damtshaa. What has become the single-richest diamond mine in the world opened in Jwaneng in 1982. The Orapa 2000 Expansion of the existing Orapa mine was opened in 2000. In December 2004, Debswana negotiated 25-year lease renewals for all four of its mines with the Government of Botswana. The Debswana carat output for 2004 was a record 31 million carats, making Debswana the world’s leading diamond producer by value and volume. Exploration for other kimberlite pipes continues. In addition, as part of its drive to diversify and increase local value added within the mining sector, Botswana has announced plans to establish a joint venture company with De Beers, which will be Debswana’s sorting and marketing arm.

BCL, which operates a copper-nickel mine at Selebi-Phikwe, has had a troubled financial history but remains an important employer. The soda ash operation at Sua Pan, opened in 1991 and supported by substantial government investment, has begun making a profit following significant restructuring. It produced 283,000 tons of soda ash in 2002. BCL is expected to significantly reduce operations within the next ten years.

Coal bed methane gas has been discovered in the northeastern part of the country, estimated by the developers at a commercially viable quantity of 12 trillion cubic feet. Development of the gas field, financed by the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation, began in mid–2004.

Tourism

Tourism is an increasingly important industry in Botswana, accounting for almost 12% of GDP, despite only modest growth of 2.9% in 2003/4. One of the world’s unique ecosystems, the Okavango Delta, is located in Botswana. The country offers excellent game viewing and birding both in the Delta and in the Chobe Game Reserve—home to one of the largest herds of free-ranging elephants in the world. Botswana’s Central Kalahari Game Reserve also offers good game viewing and some of the most remote and unspoiled wilderness in southern Africa.

Agriculture

More than one-half of the population lives in rural areas and is largely dependent on subsistence crop and livestock farming. Agriculture meets only a small portion of food needs and contributes a very small amount to GDP—primarily through beef exports—but it remains a social and cultural touchstone. Cattle raising in particular dominated Botswana’s social and economic life before independence. The national herd is estimated between 2 and 3 million head, but the cattle industry is experiencing a protracted decline.

Private Sector Development and Foreign Investment

Botswana seeks to further diversify its economy away from minerals, which account for a third of GDP (down from nearly half of GDP in the early 1990s). Foreign investment and management are welcomed in Botswana. Botswana abolished foreign exchange controls in 1999, has a low corporate tax rate (15%), and no prohibitions on foreign ownership of companies. The country’s inflation rate has remained stable and comparatively low over the course of the past 10 years. However, rising fuel and utility prices along with the government’s 12.5% devaluation of the Pula in May 2005 have resulted in a spike in inflation to an average annual rate of 11.4% as of December 2005, which falls well outside the Bank of Botswana’s target rate of between 4-7%. The Government of Botswana is currently considering additional policies to enhance competitiveness, including a new Foreign Direct Investment Strategy and National Export Development Strategy. Botswana’s parliament recently adopted both a Privatization Master Plan and a new Competition Policy that are aimed at fostering economic diversification.

With its proven record of good economic governance, Botswana was ranked as Africa’s least corrupt country by Transparency International in 2005, ahead of many European and Asian countries. The World Economic Forum rates Botswana as one of the two most economically competitive nations in Africa. In November 2005, Standard & Poor’s once again assigned Botswana an “A” grade credit rating. This ranks Botswana as by far the best credit risk in Africa and puts it on par or above many countries in central Europe, East Asia, and Latin America.

U.S. investment in Botswana remains at relatively low levels. Major U.S. corporations, such as H.J. Heinz and AON Corporation, are present through direct investments, while others, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and Remax, are present via franchise. The sovereign credit ratings by Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s clearly indicate that, despite continued challenges such as small market size, landlocked location, and cumbersome bureaucratic processes, Botswana remains one of the best investment opportunities in the developing world. Botswana has a 90-member American Business Council that accepts membership from American-affiliated companies.

Because of history and geography, Botswana has long had deep ties to the economy of South Africa. The Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), comprised of Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, and South Africa, dates from 1910, and is the world’s oldest customs union. Under this arrangement, South Africa has collected levies from customs, sales, and excise duties for all five members, sharing out proceeds based on each country’s portion of imports. The exact formula for sharing revenues and the decision-making authority over duties—held exclusively by the Government of South Africa—became increasingly controversial, and the members renegotiated the arrangement in 2001. A new structure has now been formally ratified and a SACU Secretariat has been established in Windhoek, Namibia. Following South Africa’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO, of which Botswana also is a member), many of the SACU duties are declining, making American products more competitive in Botswana. Currently the SACU countries and the U.S. are negotiating a free trade agreement. Botswana is currently also negotiating a free trade agreement with MERCOSUR and an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union as part of SADC, and opened negotiations with China and India in 2005.

Botswana’s currency—the Pula—is fully convertible and is valued against a basket of currencies heavily weighted toward the South African Rand. Profits and direct investment can be repatriated without restriction from Botswana. The Botswana Government eliminated all exchange controls in 1999. The Central Bank devalued the Pula by 12.5% in May 2005 in a bid to maintain export competitiveness against the real appreciation of the Pula and restructured the exchange rate mechanism to a crawling peg system to ensure against future large-scale devaluations.

Botswana is the immediate past chair of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC), and Gaborone hosts the SADC Secretariat’s headquarters. SADC replaced the Southern Africa Development Coordination Conference (SADCC—launched in 1980, which focused its efforts on freeing regional economic development from dependence on apartheid South Africa. SADC embraced the newly democratic South Africa as a member in 1994. It has a broad mandate to encourage growth, development, and economic integration in Southern Africa. SADC’s Trade Protocol, which was launched on September 1, 2000, calls for the elimination of all tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade by 2008 among the 11 signatory countries. Zimbabwe’s membership has limited SADC’s opportunities for cooperation with the United States.

Transportation and Communications

A sparsely populated, semi-arid country about the size of Texas, Botswana has nonetheless managed to incorporate much of its interior into the national economy. An “inner circle” highway connecting all major towns and district capitals is completely paved, and the all-weather Trans-Kalahari Highway connects the country (and, through it, South Africa’s commercially dominant Gauteng Province) to Walvis Bay in Namibia. A fiber-optic telecommunications network has been completed in Botswana connecting all major population centers. In November 2003, representatives of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa signed an MOU to simplify documentation to move cargoes to and from the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia.

In addition to the government-owned newspaper and national radio network, there is an active, independent press (one daily and seven weekly newspapers). Two privately owned radio stations began operations in 1999. In 2000, the government-owned Botswana Television (BTV) was launched, which is Botswana’s first national television station. GBC is a commercially owned television station that broadcast programs to the Gaborone area only. Foreign publications are sold without restriction in Botswana, and there are 22 commercial Internet service providers. Two cellular phone providers cover most of the country.

DEFENSE

The president is commander in chief of the Botswana Defense Force (BDF). A defense council is appointed by the president. The BDF was formed in 1977 and has approximately 13,000 members.

The BDF is a capable and well-disciplined military force. Following positive political changes in South Africa and the region, the BDF’s missions have increasingly focused on border control and anti-poaching activities. The United States has been the largest single contributor to the development of the BDF, and a large segment of its officer corps has received U.S. training. It is considered an apolitical and professional institution.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Botswana puts a premium on economic and political integration in Southern Africa. It seeks to make SADC a working vehicle for economic development, and promotes efforts to make the region self-policing in terms of preventative diplomacy, conflict resolution, and good governance. Botswana joins the African consensus on most major international matters and is a member of international organizations such as the United Nations and the African Union (AU).

U.S.-BOTSWANA RELATIONS

The United States considers Botswana an advocate of and a model for stability in Africa and has been a major partner in Botswana’s development since its independence. The U.S. Peace Corps returned to Botswana in August 2002 with a focus on HIV/AIDS-related programs after concluding 30 years of more broadly targeted assistance in 1997. Similarly, the USAID phased out a longstanding partnership with Botswana in 1996, after successful programs emphasizing education, training, entrepreneurship, environmental management, and reproductive health. Botswana, however, continues to benefit along with its neighbors in the region from USAID’s Initiative for Southern Africa. The Regional Center for Southern Africa (RCSA), which implements the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Initiative for Southern Africa (ISA), is headquartered in Gaborone as well. The United States International Board of Broadcasters (IBB) operates a major Voice of America (VOA) relay station in Botswana serving most of the African Continent. In 1995, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) started the BOTUSA Project in collaboration with the Botswana Ministry of Health in order to generate information to improve TB control efforts in Botswana and elsewhere in the face of the TB and HIV/AIDS co-epidemics. Under the 1999 U.S. Government’s Leadership and Investment in Fighting an Epidemic (LIFE) Initiative, CDC through the BOTUSA Project has undertaken many projects and has assisted many organizations in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Botswana. Botswana is one of the 15 focus countries for PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief and began receiving funding and assistance under this program in January 2004. PEPFAR assistance to Botswana, which totaled $20 million in FY 2004 and doubled to $40 million in FY 2005, is contributing to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care interventions.

The Governments of Botswana and the United States entered into an agreement in July 2000 to establish an International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Gaborone. The academy, jointly financed, managed and staffed by the two nations, provides training to police and government officials from Southern Africa and eventually from across the continent. The academy’s permanent campus, in Otse outside of Gaborone, opened March 2003. Over 1,500 law enforcement professionals from Sub-Saharan Africa have received training from ILEA since it began offering classes in 2001.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials

GABORONE (E) Address: P.O. Box 90, Gaborone, Botswana; Phone: (267) 395-3982; Fax: (267) 395-6947; Workweek: M-Th 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Fri 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM; Website: http://gaborone.usembassy.gov/.

Last Updated: 8/12/2006

TRAVEL

Consular Information Sheet : November 15, 2006

Country Description: Botswana is a country in southern Africa with a stable democratic government and a growing economy. Facilities for tourism are widely available.

Entry/Exit Requirements: A passport with at least six months of validity remaining is required. U.S. citizens are permitted stays up to 90 days without a visa. For additional information on entry requirements, travelers may contact the Embassy of the Republic of Botswana, 1531-1533 New Hampshire Ave, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, telephone (202) 244-4990/1, fax (202) 244-4164 or the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Botswana to the United Nations, 103 E. 37th St., New York, NY, 10016, telephone (212) 889-2277, fax (212) 725-5061. There are also honorary consuls in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston. Visit the Embassy of Botswana’s web site at http://www.botswanaembassy.org/ for the most current visa information.

Safety and Security: Civil unrest and disorder are rare. U.S. citizens should avoid crowds, political rallies, and street demonstrations and maintain security awareness at all times.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Internet web site, where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, can be found. Information can also be obtained from the American Citizen Services section of the U.S. Embassy’s website at http://usembassy.state.gov/botswana/. Upto-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Crime: Violent crime is relatively infrequent in Botswana, but appears to be on the rise in urban centers. Prudent security measures such as house and car alarms and immobilizers should be used to deter residential burglaries and car theft. In addition, the increased instance of armed robbery and mugging in Botswana over the past two years warrants increased vigilance while walking in urban areas, particularly after dark and when traveling alone. Petty street crime and crimes of opportunity, primarily the theft of money and personal property, remain the most common forms of crime in Botswana. Visitors to Gaborone, as to any major city, should avoid walking at night in unfamiliar areas. U.S. Embassy personnel are advised against travel to the Kgale Hill area, a popular Gaborone hiking venue, and the area surrounding the Gaborone Dam because of multiple incidents of violent crime. American citizens are strongly urged to avoid these areas.

Information for Victims of Crime: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Medical facilities in Gaborone are adequate, but available facilities in other areas are limited. Well-equipped emergency rooms and trained physicians are available in the capital but services are rudimentary elsewhere. Professional private emergency rescue services operate air and ground ambulances throughout the country, but care is rendered only after a patient’s ability to pay is established. Response times are often slow in less populated areas. Malaria is prevalent only in the north of the country, particularly around the Chobe and Okavango National Parks. Malaria prophylaxis is not required in Gaborone but is suggested for travel to the north. For advanced care Americans often choose to travel to South Africa. Most prescription drugs are available in Gaborone.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

Medical Insurance: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Botswana is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Traffic circulates on the left in Botswana, as elsewhere in the region. While the roads in major population centers in Botswana are generally good, travel by automobile outside of large towns may be dangerous. The combination of long, tedious stretches of two-lane highways, high speed limits, and poor lighting make driving at night on rural highways particularly hazardous. Free-range domestic animals and large numbers of pedestrians and hitchhikers in the roadways make fatal accidents a frequent occurrence. Traumatic injury is the second major cause of death in Botswana; motor vehicle accidents take the lead. Visit the website of the country’s national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety at http://www.botswana-tourism.gov.bw.

Aviation Safety Oversight: As there is no direct commercial air service between the United States and Botswana, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Botswana’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s Internet website at http://www.faa.gov.

Special Circumstances: Botswana strictly enforces its laws controlling the trade in animal products. The hunting of lions is explicitly prohibited and leopards and elephants are covered under a strict quota regime. Botswana’s Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act makes illegal the possession or removal from Botswana, without a government permit of any living or dead animal or trophy from an animal. A trophy is any horn, ivory, tooth, tusk, bone, claw, hoof, hide, skin, hair, feather, egg, or other durable portion of an animal, whether the item has been processed or not. Curio shops and vendors throughout the country sell items such as animal skins, plain and decorated ostrich eggs and eggshells, and carved bones or teeth of animals protected by this law. All of the souvenirs, although widely sold, are subject to this Act. Travelers departing the country with a trophy must have a receipt from a store licensed to sell such items. Ivory and endangered rhinoceros horn products obtained in Botswana may not be removed from the country under any circumstances; elephant hair jewelry may be removed only with the appropriate license from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. Trophies may not be taken from the wild without a permit. Violators are subject to arrest and may face a penalty of up to five years imprisonment and a substantial fine.

Wild animals pose may pose a danger to tourists. Tourists should bear in mind that, even in the most serene settings, the animals are wild and can pose a threat to life and safety. Tourists should use common sense when approaching wildlife, observe all local or park regulations, and heed all instructions given by tour guides. In addition, tourists are advised that potentially dangerous areas sometimes lack fences and warning signs. Exercise appropriate caution in all unfamiliar surroundings.

Criminal Penalties: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country’s laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offences. Persons violating Botswana laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Botswana are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Homosexual activity is illegal in Botswana. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.

Children’s Issues: For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, see the Office of Children’s Issues website at http://travel.state.gov/family/family_1732.html.

Registration/Embassy Location: Americans living or traveling in Botswana are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Botswana. The U.S. Embassy is located in Gaborone on Embassy Drive in the Government Enclave. The mailing address is P.O. Box 90, Gaborone, telephone +267 395-3982; fax +267 318-0232; email [email protected], and the after-hours emergency telephone is +267 395-7111.

International Adoption : June 2006

The information below has been edited from a report of the State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. For more information, please read the International Adoption section of this book and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Disclaimer: The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is based on public sources and current understanding. Questions involving foreign and U.S. immigration laws and legal interpretation should be addressed respectively to qualified foreign or U.S. legal counsel.

Please Note: Local law and practice requires a lengthy period of residence in Botswana for both adoptive children and parents during the process. Parents must remain resident with the child in Botswana during a period of foster care and the adoptive child must remain resident in Botswana for one year following issuance of an adoption decree.

Patterns of Immigration: Please review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Adoption Authority:
Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs
Private Bag 002
Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: +267 3611100
Fax: +267 3613584

Local magistrate’s courts are delegated responsibility for overseeing the adoption process. Social workers submit their reports to the court for evaluation and the magistrate is designated the responsibility of executing the adoption order at the end of the process.

Eligibility Requirements for Adoptive Parents: Prospective adoptive parents must be 25 years old to adopt and if the child is over sixteen (16), the adopting parent(s) must be at least 25 years older than the child. The law permits single individuals to adopt children as well as married couples. Note: U.S. immigration law requires an orphan be under the age of sixteen to qualify for an immigration visa.

Residency Requirements: While it is not a pre-requisite to be a resident of Botswana, the law requires prospective adoptive parents to reside with the child in Botswana for a period of foster care lasting several months at minimum, but often over a year. The exact period of foster care that must take place in Botswana is at the discretion of local magistrate’s courts and is determined on a case- by-case basis. Following a final adoption order, the child must remain resident in Botswana for a period not less than one year. As a result, the parents must also be resident. Adoptive parents need not be citizens of Botswana; however, they must have lawful resident status in the country during the process.

Time Frame: Adoptions in Botswana are not final until the adoptee has lived with the prospective parents in Botswana. It is common for magistrate’s courts to require at least a one-year period of foster care, and thus residency in Botswana. Prospective adoptive parents must be present in Botswana to petition the court for an adoption order. Accounting for other residency requirements, it would be unlikely for an adoption to be finalized and a United States visa issued to the adopted child in less than two (2) years from the time a child is identified.

Adoption Agencies and Attorneys: The law does not require the services of an adoption agency to locate a child or take part in the adoption process. Though not required, an attorney may be hired for representation before a local magistrates’ court. A list of attorneys in Botswana may be found on the U.S. Embassy, Gaborone web page at http://gaborone.usembassy.gov. No attorneys on this list specialize in adoption.

Please see the International Adoption section of this book for more details and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Adoption Fees: Most costs would be incurred as a result of court and administrative fees by national and local government and would be determined by the length of time the court requires “foster care” by prospective parents.

Adoption Procedures: The adoptive family identifies a child to be adopted. This is most commonly accomplished by surveying orphanages. Botswana does not have a formal agency that is responsible for placing orphans or matching children with prospective parents. An adoptive child’s family or guardian must give written consent for the child to be adopted.

The adopting family applies to the local magistrates’ court for the legal adoption proceedings to begin. Private individuals and foreign residents or citizens are all permitted to petition the court. Anyone applying to the court can also do so through legal representation.

Magistrate’s court decrees a period of “foster care” during which time the adoptee lives with the prospective adoptive family in Botswana. While the law does not prescribe a minimum or maximum, this period commonly lasts from a few months to two years and is at the discretion of the magistrate’s court. During the “foster period,” social workers from the local city council will make home visits to chart the progress of the relationship and standard of care provided to the child. Magistrate’s courts are located in most localities throughout Botswana.

At the completion of the foster care period, the social workers must submit their reports to the magistrate’s court. The court then makes a final ruling on whether or not the child may be adopted by the prospective family. If the decision is favorable to the prospective parents, the court issues a final adoption decree.

After the magistrate approves the adoption, the child must live in Botswana in the custody of the adopting family for one year. The child may leave on vacation during that time with the consent of the court and/or the Minister of Local Government. The child may also be issued a passport in his or her birth name unless the adoptive parents have petitioned the court for a change of surname and received a favorable ruling.

At the end of the one-year residency period in Botswana, the child and adopting family may relocate permanently outside of Botswana.

Documentary Requirements: There is no list of required documents established by the Government of Botswana. However, magistrate’s courts may request certain documents at will. Those seeking to adopt in Botswana should be prepared with standard U.S. civil documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees and related court documents, and police records for places of residence. All U.S. documents would need to be certified by local officials in the U.S. or by a U.S. consular officer abroad.

Embassy of the Republic of Botswana:
1531 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: +1 (202) 244-4990
Fax: +1 (202) 244-4164
http://www.botswanaembassy.org/

U.S. Immigration Requirements: Prospective adopting parents are strongly encouraged to consult USCIS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adopting Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions.

U.S. Embassy in Botswana: Embassy Enclave, (off Khama Crescent) [email protected] +267 3953982 x5324/532

Additional Information: Specific questions about adoption in Botswana may be addressed to the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Gabarone. Immigrant visa questions may be addressed to the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa. General questions regarding intercountry adoption may be addressed to the Office of Children’s Issues, U.S. Department of State, CA/OCS/CI, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, toll-free Tel: 1-888-407-4747.