Chiepe, Gaositwe (c. 1924–)

views updated

Chiepe, Gaositwe (c. 1924–)

Botswanan diplomat and politician. Born Gaositwe Keagakwa Tibe Chiepe, c. 1924 in Serowe, Botswana; sister of Monametsi Chiepe; educated in Botswana, South Africa, and UK.

Worked as education officer in Botswana and became director of Education (1968–69); appointed High Commissioner to UK and Nigeria (1970) and served as diplomat in several European and Scandinavian countries; became minister of Commerce and Industry (1974–77), minister of Mineral Resources and Water Affairs (1977–84), minister of External Affairs (1984), minister of Foreign Affairs (1988), and minister of Education; also served as chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group (2000).