Republic of Botswana (12/6/05)
TAUTONA TIMES no 20 of 2005
The Weekly Electronic Press Circular of the Office of the President
"It is a matter of serious concern that
counterfeit medicines make up more than 10% of
the global medicines available in the market in
both developed and developing countries. The
World Health Organisation estimates that up to
25% of the medicines used in developing countries
are counterfeit or substandard. Batswana as the
beneficiaries of the health delivery system
should join hands with nurses to combat the
growing threat of counterfeit medicines" -
President Mogae on International Nurses Day [D 1]
CONTENTS
A. On Presidential Travel
B. June Press Schedule
C. The Weeks That Were
D. Statements by H.E. the President:
1) Marking International Nurses Day, Kasane (9/6/05)
2) Officially Opening the Metcourt Inn Hotel, Gaborone (7/6/05)
E. OP Press Office Forwarding:
1) Vice President to headline London Investment Forum (10/6/05)
2) Minister Skelamani to attend A.U. meeting in Kampala (10/6/05)
3) 2005 Golden Plate Award recipients (9/6/05)
4) Mogae to meet with Bush in D.C. and attend 2nd
South-South Summit in Doha (8/6/05)
5) Press Briefing: Mogae in New York (3/6/05)
6) Mogae, Annan hold talks at U.N. (2/6/05)
7) Press Statement on Pula Exchange Rate (30/5/05)
8) Additional notes and forwarding
F. Botswana in the Global Media mid-June 2005
A. A small landlocked nation is not an island:
Welcome to TT no. 20 of 2005. There was no
circular last week since the Press Office was on
the road and in the air, so this week's edition
follows TT no. 19 of 28/5/05.
Given the recent travel schedule undertaken by
H.E. the President it is perhaps not surprising
that segments of the private press have raised
the issue of whether he is embarking on too many
external trips. This question was directly
addressed by the President, himself, at an
extended Press Conference held yesterday. Here
this author would only wish to add that by the
standards of many of his peers the amount of
international travel done the President, as well
as the size of his delegations, is in fact quite
modest. The greater number of outside visits,
moreover, consists of Heads of State or
Government summits, which require his presence.
It should furthermore be understood that the
ultimate value of any external engagement must be
judged on its individual merits and as part of
what is usually a long term process. In this
respect, to the greatest extent possible, this
Office will endeavour to continue to provide the
media with sufficient information on Presidential
trips. Members of the Press are also always free
to approach this Office for any additional
background (something which heretofore has
incidentally been more commonly done by
international rather than domestic journalists).
Finally, one would observe that as a small,
developing country Botswana's voice will often
only be effectively heard as part of a
multinational chorus, which will continue to
require proactive liaison. It is for this reason
that various fora such as the AU, Group of 77,
SADC, Asian-African Summit, and Commonwealth etc.
as well as special opportunities such as the
recent International Diamond Conference and the
International Achievement Summit are of practical
value at a time when governments across the world
are facing the challenges of globalization. Our
small landlocked nation simply can not afford to
be isolated at the leadership level.
- Dr. Jeff Ramsay, Press Secretary to the President (12/6/05)
Contacts: Office Telephone: (267) 3975154 &
Facsimile: (267) 3902795. Cell: (267) 71318598.
E-mail: jramsay@gov.bw & jramsayop@yahoo.co.uk.
B. Press Schedule:
As always the events listed below, which
represent only those parts of H.E. the
President's schedule open in whole or part to
press coverage, are subject to change. When
possible and necessary, updates will be
forwarded. Members of the Press are also
encouraged to contact the sponsors of the various
events listed below for further programme details
and possible updates.
Sunday (12/6/05): H.E. the President will arrive
in Washington D.C., where he is expected to chair
consultations with fellow African leaders ahead
of their collective meeting with the US President
George W. Bush. He is also expected to have a
follow up meeting with the President of Howard
University on potential partnership in tertiary
education.
Monday (13/6/05): In the morning H.E. the
President will join the Presidents of Ghana,
Mozambique, Namibia and Niger in a joint meeting
with the US President George W. Bush at the White
House. The President is also expected to take
advantage of press opportunities, and join the
other four leaders at a Corporate Council for
Africa function, before departing for Doha, Qatar
to attend and address the 2nd South-South (Group
of 77) Summit.
Tuesday (14/6/05) - Thursday (16/6/05): 2nd South- South Summit in Doha.
Saturday (18/6/05): H.E. the President is
expected to arrive back in Gaborone in the
morning at 9:30 am.
Monday (20/6/05): In the morning, from 11:00,
H.E. the President is expected to receive a
courtesy call from a number of visiting SADC
Ministers at the Office of the President (further
details to follow). In the afternoon, at 15:00,
he will receive a courtesy call from (Retired)
U.S. General Charlton Fulford, who is currently
the Director of the African Centre for Strategic
Studies.
Tuesday (21/6/05): An important diplomatic
engagement is anticipated for the afternoon,
further details to follow.
Wednesday (22/6/05): In the afternoon, at 15:00,
H.E. the President is scheduled to give an
exclusive interview with BBC reporters as part of
a special feature on Botswana.
Thursday (23/6/05): In the morning, from 9:00 am,
H.E. the President will address and otherwise
take part in Operation Thokgamo activities and
the stadium in Maun. Hosted by the Botswana
Defence Force, Operation Thokgamo is a joint
military training for peacekeeping exercise,
which is being carried out by SADC armed forces.
The Operation thus underscores the SADC member
states common commitment to collective peace and
security.
Saturday (25/6/05): During the day H.E. the
President will be in Maputo, in order to attend
Ceremonies Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of
Mozambique's liberation from colonial rule.
Tuesday (28/6/05): In the morning, at 10:00 am,
H.E. the President is scheduled to give an
exclusive interview to BBC World Business Report.
Friday (1/7/05): Sir Seretse Khama Day Public
Holiday - During the afternoon H.E. the President
is expected to attend in the 10th annual Kabelano
Trust Football tournament and related activities.
C. Presidential Press Coverage Highlights for the
period from Monday 30/5/05 to Saturday 11/6/05:
Monday (30/5/05): In the afternoon, H.E. the
President met with a visiting delegation from
Portugal, which included two Members of
Parliament, Dr. Maria de Belem and Dr. Regina
Bastos, the President of the Portuguese National
AIDS commission, Prof. Melico Silvestre, the Head
of the Portuguese Society of Infectious Diseases,
Dr. Rui Sarmento e Castro, and travelling
journalists from SIC TV and Visao Magazine.
Immediately thereafter he departed for the
airport to travel to New York City in order to
attend the 44th International Achievement Summit
[E 3, 5 TT 19].
Wednesday (1/6/05): In the afternoon H.E. the
President met with SADC Ambassadors to the UN. In
the evening he joined the former U.S. President
Bill Clinton and other dignitaries at the opening
of the International Achievement Summit.
Thursday (2/6/05): During the day H.E. the
President's activities included a meeting with
the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan [E 6]. He
also met with H.H. the Vice President, who was
passing through New York to attend a Board
meeting of Conservation International, before
proceeding to Japan for an official visit [E 5].
Friday (3/6/05): In the morning H.E. the
President held talks with the President of the
World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz. He thereafter joined
H.E. President Wade of Senegal in a discussion of
"The Future of Sub-Saharan Africa" at the
International achievement Summit, which was held
at the U.N. headquarters. In the evening, he
attended a Banquet where he was among the
recipients of the 2005 Golden Plate Award [E 3,
5].
Monday (6/6/05): H.E. the President returned to Botswana in the morning.
Tuesday (7/6/05): In the early evening H.E. the
President officially opened the Metcourt Inn
Hotel at the Grand Palm Hotel, Casino and
Convention Resort in Gaborone, where he was also
interviewed by SABC Africa [D2].
Thursday (9/6/05): In the morning, H.E. the
President delivered the keynote address marking
International Nurses Day, in Kasane [D 1].
Friday (10/6/05): During the morning H.E. the
President's schedule included taking part in the
taping of a forthcoming programme to be aired on
BTV.
Saturday (11/6/05): In the afternoon H.E. the
President gave an open Press Conference, lasting
just under 1 ½ hours at the Mass Media Complex.
He thereafter departed for Washington D.C. for a
meeting with the U.S. President George W. Bush.
Issues raised at yesterday's Press Conference
included progress being made to increase
Botswana's share in the cutting and polishing of
diamonds, the deportation of Professor Good,
Botswana's view of the prospects and benefits of
the Commission for Africa report, the challenges
of attracting Foreign Direct Investment, why
Botswana falls behind in its reports to a number
of international commissions, whether Botswana
should change "anachronistic" laws, the value of
trade over debt relief, why was the pula
overvalued, does the Office of the President need
another jet, the role of faith in achieving
Vision 2016, and the President's view of efforts
to reconcile factions within the ruling party.
D. Statements by H.E. the President:
D 1) 9/6/05: STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE
PRESIDENT, MR. FESTUS G. MOGAE, MARKING THE
INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY, KASANE
Director of Ceremonies
Minister of Health, Honourable Professor Sheila Tlou
Member of Parliament for Chobe and Assistant
Minister of Finance and Development Planning,
Honourable Duncan Mlazie and Mrs. Mlazie Member
of the House of Chief, Kgosi Chika District
Commissioner for Chobe,
Mr. Gaewetse Koketso Chairman of the North West District Council,
Mr. John Benn Chairman of Chobe Land board,
Mr. Mpofu Dikgosi tsotlhe tsa kgaolo eno
Honourable Councillors
President of Botswana Nurses Association, Ms Joyce Tamocha
Distinguished Nurses
Ladies and gentlemen
1. It gives me great pleasure to be with you
here this morning to celebrate International
Nurses Day. I am particularly pleased to note
that the Nurses Association of Botswana is
hosting this event. Today as we mark
International Nurses Day, Botswana joins nurses
throughout the world in celebrating the birthday
of Florence Nightingale (12-05-1820), who was the
founder of modern day nursing profession.
2. For nurses this is a time to reflect and
take stock of what it is nurses do, the impact
they are making and whether they still live up to
the standards set by Ms Nightingale 150 years
ago. For the rest of us the beneficiaries of the
services of the nursing profession, we must also
reflect on these issues, the sacrifices nurses
make in working long hours the stressful working
conditions they have to endure and their devotion
to duty in these difficult and trying
circumstances. As we commemorate this day, we
are reminded of the essential contribution of
nursing services to our lives. This day
therefore reinforces for all of us the importance
of the role nurses play in our society and the
need for quality nursing care.
3. On behalf of the Government and people of
Botswana, I wish to thank, recognize and
acknowledge nurses for these services. Batswana
must appreciate the important contributions
nurses make to the health and well being of the
country. Over the years Botswana has made
tremendous progress in improving the human
condition. We have made great strides in
maternal and child health and in the mortality of
the under fives. Today, every Motswana lives
within 15 kilometres of a clinic or health post.
The proper functioning and delivery of these
health facilities rest on the shoulders of
nurses. This is why we are eternally grateful to
them for the excellent work they continue to
perform.
4. There are about 7000 nurses practicing in
the country representing the largest, single
group of health care professionals. In order to
recognize the contributions nurses have made and
continue to make to the improvement in health and
development of the people of this country,
Government decided in 2003 to set aside a day in
Botswana as "Nurses Day." This is a day on which
the nation must pause to pay tribute to the men
and women who have committed themselves and
freely taken an oath to give care with love and
compassion to the sick, the injured and the dying.
5. Cabinet also approved an amendment in the
schedule of the Botswana Honours Act to include
four types of awards for nurses. They are as
follows:
Nurses Long Service and Good Conduct Award:
Awarded to deserving nurses with long service,
professional commitment and dedicated service.
Nurses Meritorious Service Award: Awarded to
deserving nurses who have contributed to the
development of the nursing profession and have
shown outstanding leadership and practice.
Nurses Clinical Excellence Award: Awarded to
deserving nurses who stand out in practicing
nursing in a clinical area, be it in a hospital,
clinic or community setting.
Innovative Excellence in Teaching Award: Awarded
to deserving nurses who are outstanding teachers
of nursing, and who have contributed to the
development of nursing education in the country.
6. Today marks an historic event, as it will
be the first time that these awards will be
presented to you here in Kasane. I wish to
extend congratulations to all recipients of
Awards. Well done. Keep up the good work. Let
the Award be a source of inspiration to others
around you and most importantly to yourself to
continue to work hard and be exemplary.
7. I must point out that as is usually the
case with all Honours or Awards not everyone will
receive the Award. The significance of the
Award, however, is in that those who are being
honoured represent the profession as a whole.
8. In this respect, those who are fortunate
to receive the Awards should be humbled by the
fact of having been considered worthy of such an
Award. They should consider themselves to be
holding such awards on behalf of their colleagues
because those who have not won the Awards are
important to those who won. It is those who have
not won, that is the majority, who actually make
the Awards special to the chosen few.
9. Director of Ceremonies, ladies and
gentlemen, Nurses have many roles to fulfil,
including the more traditional role of hands-on
caregiver at the bedside, and that of caregiver
at clinics and in the community. To keep pace
with modern trends, evolving technological
advances and changes in demographic patterns,
nursing has had to undergo some evolution.
However, even though nursing has evolved over the
past centuries and has undergone some paradigm
shift, it is still maintaining its traditional
role of caring, which is the hallmark of the
profession.
10. It is pleasing to note that this
evolution has led to improvement in the nursing
service. Nurses are actively involved in health
education, research, business, policy
development, advocacy, counselling and
prescribing of medicines. To emphasise the role
of nurses in the prescription and control of
medicines, the International Council of Nurses
has selected "Counterfeits kill, Nurses target
counterfeit medicines," as the theme for
International Nurses Day 2005.
11. One of the main concerns of nurses is
patient safety. Unfortunately, counterfeit
medicines are increasingly becoming a threat to
patient safety. These are medicines that are
deliberately and fraudulently mislabelled with
respect to identity and/or source. They may
have the wrong ingredients, or may have no active
ingredients at all or may have wrong quantities
of active ingredients with poor quality.
12. It is a matter of serious concern that
counterfeit medicines make up more than 10% of
the global medicines available in the market in
both developed and developing countries. The
World Health Organisation estimates that up to
25% of the medicines used in developing countries
are counterfeit or substandard.
13. Batswana as the beneficiaries of the
health delivery system should join hands with
nurses to combat the growing threat of
counterfeit medicines. They are not only unsafe
and ineffective but also erode the confidence of
the public in health care systems and health
professionals. They result in resource wastage
with disastrous patient outcomes such as
poisoning, disability and even death. This is
not a problem for nurses and other health
professionals alone because it adversely impacts
on a cross-section of society.
14. Having said that I believe that as
primary caregivers, nurses are in a more
strategic position to monitor drug efficacy and
side effects. Nurses must be vigilant in the
search for evidence of counterfeit medicines such
as improper packaging and labelling. Nurses also
have a key role in educating the public about the
possible dangers of buying medicines such as
through the Internet or from unauthorised sources
on the streets.
15. As stated earlier, the majority of
employees within the health sector are nurses and
without a doubt they are, in many ways, the
backbone of our primary health care delivery
system. Your involvement in all levels of the
development of health policy is therefore
critical as we face the health challenges before
us, one of them being HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS has had
an adverse effect on some of the health gains we
had made hitherto. The increase in bed occupancy
in our health facilities has exacerbated the
problem of the already over stretched health
personnel. This has caused a major psychological
burden on the nursing personnel who not only have
to closely care for these patients but also have
to live with the experience of losing an
unusually high number of patients.
16. In view of the foregoing, I wish to
commend the Nurses Association of Botswana for
implementing the Caring for the Caregivers
Programme. I trust that nurses will take full
advantage of this programme. Government will
continue to explore possible ways to enhance
health care worker safety including through the
introduction of new services such as Hepatitis B
vaccinations for health care workers.
17. Director of Ceremonies, distinguished
ladies and gentlemen, let me conclude by
acknowledging the bitter truth that the global
trend of brain drain and professional migration
has not spared Botswana. We have in the past
experienced the migration of nurses from the
public to the private sector for greener pastures
and later to the developed countries. In terms
of comparison, the internal movement from the
public to the private sector was bearable because
the nurses were still available in the country.
It was the overseas movement that had a
debilitating effect on our existing situation.
18. I wish to assure nurses that Government
will continue to place great importance on
finding solutions to the problems of migration of
personnel, as well as career changes, which
result in loss of staff from the health sector.
The training, development and retention of staff
across various health professions, including
nursing is critical in our response to the
current challenges we face in the health sector.
We look forward to working with you towards
finding solutions to these problems.
19. Lastly, I encourage nurses countrywide to
continue with their good work in a compassionate
and caring manner. Bagaetsho, Re tlhasetswe!
You are the frontline troops. You probably know
better than most of us. You are fully aware of
the seriousness and magnitude of the war we are
all called upon to join. We all have to make
sacrifices with courage and fortitude in the hope
that humanity will ultimately prevail.
20. On that note, I wish each and every one
of you a memorable International Nurses Day.
D 2) 7/6/05: STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE
PRESIDENT, MR. FESTUS G. MOGAE, OFFICIALLY
OPENING THE METCOURT INN HOTEL, GABORONE
Director of Ceremonies
Your Lordship the Chief Justice
Honourable Ministers
Honourable Members of Parliament
Your Worship the Mayor of Gaborone, Mr. Nelson Ramaotwana
Mr. Kenneth Matambo, Managing Director of the
Botswana Development Corporation, along with
other BDC Directors here present, Mr. Ernie
Joubert, Chief Executive Officer of Peermont
Global Ltd and Chairman of Peermont Global
Botswana Management and Staff of the Grand Palm
Hotel, Casino and Convention Resort Distinguished
Ladies and Gentlemen
1. I am delighted to join you all this afternoon
in officially opening the Metcourt Inn Hotel. For
me this occasion represents another milestone in
the development of our hotel and hospitality
industry.
2. The completion of this facility has not only
enhanced the Grand Palm Hotel, Casino and
Convention Resort as one of the SADC region's
premier business and leisure destinations. With
its provision of an additional 149 rooms on an
affordable basis, the Metcourt Inn Hotel has also
significantly increased the overall capacity of
our capital city to compete for a greater share
of this region's emerging tourist, more
especially conference and convention, market.
This in turn should result in additional jobs and
opportunities for Batswana.
3. I here wish to note with appreciation that
the construction of this building is part of a
broader long-term strategy by Peermont Global
Ltd, in this instance working in partnership with
the Botswana Development Corporation, to increase
its stake in our local market. In this respect,
it is encouraging to hear that this hotel is to
become the flagship of a new Metcourt brand that
should soon be found elsewhere, not only in
Botswana but also throughout the SADC area.
4. This opening, moreover, closely follows
Peermont's recent acquisition of additional
facilities in our country. Taken together these
developments are a positive demonstration of the
company's confidence in, and deepening commitment
to, the local market.
5. The establishment of this along with other
similar facilities in recent months can also be
seen as further evidence of wider investor
confidence in our still expanding tourist market,
which in turn is in line with the objectives of
our Tourism Policy. While a primary objective of
the policy has been to encourage the development
of services in rural areas, my Government
continues to recognize the importance of also
promoting the growth in this and other urban
centres.
6. The establishment of the Gaborone
International Conference Centre on this site has,
in particular, provided our city with a golden
opportunity to effectively compete both
regionally and internationally in hosting a
greater number of international conferences and
conventions. In such competition there can be no
doubt that the availability of adequate quality
accommodation, that furthers caters for different
pocketbooks, is a critical factor. Given its
location and target market, the Metcourt Inn
Hotel is thus ideally situated to help meet this
demand.
7. Ladies and Gentlemen, in order to help ensure
that high standards exist throughout our hotel
and hospitality industry, Government, through the
recently established Tourism Board, is in the
process of establishing a grading and
classification system for all accommodation
facilities. It is my belief that this public
initiative dovetails with the private initiative
on the part of the Peermont Group, (as just
described by Mr. Joubert) to reorganize their
brands with reference to common, consistent and
internationally recognised benchmarks in terms of
overall quality, cost and levels of service.
8. To both the management and the staff of
Metcourt I wish to take this opportunity to
stress the importance of working in productive
partnership in order to realise a common
objective of providing good quality service.
Your collective success in this respect will,
inevitably, be measured by the number of guests
who return to your facility and/or encourage
others to come. My advice to you, therefore, is
to always strive to be your best. In relatively
small facilities such as these even clients on a
budget expect and deserve personalized attention.
9. On behalf of Government, I can here once more
confirm our own ongoing commitment to
facilitating continued private sector growth. As
part of this commitment we are seeking to ensure
that that various services attain and retain
world class standards. In addition, the Ministry
of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, working in
partnership with the Tourism Board, will continue
to assist facilities such as this in promoting
and marketing themselves at international to
tourism fairs. We have also appointed marketing
representatives in North America and Europe to
further expose Botswana as a tourist destination.
10. I am pleased to note that through the
collective efforts of Government and the Hotel
and Hospitality Industry, and others, there is a
growing international interest in our country and
its people, as well as flora and fauna. Most
recently our country - from Gaborone to
Francistown to Ngamiland - was the featured
setting for three weeks running of a primetime
top ten American network television show - "The
Amazing Race". I am further informed the same
programme also enjoys widespread global
distribution. Such developments are a challenge
for all of us to capitalise on the opportunities
they create.
11. In conclusion, let me once more make a
public plea for us to join hands in the fight
against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The tourism
industry flourishes on the basis of the movement
of people. But, in this era of HIV/AIDS, such
movement can expose one to risk. The virus
carries no passport for it knows no boundaries.
12. Finally, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like
to once again applaud the Botswana Development
Corporation along with Peermont Global Ltd for
making this day possible. It is therefore my
happy responsibility to declare the Metcourt Inn
Hotel officially open.
E. OP Press Office Forwarding:
E 1) 10/6/05: Vice President to headline London Investment Forum:
Members of the Press are hereby informed that
H.H. the Vice President, Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama
Ian Khama, will be in London next week, where he
will lead a high level delegation of Cabinet
Ministers, businesspersons, top government
officials and parastatals heads at a "Botswana
Investment Forum" (BIF), which is scheduled for
13-14th June 2005. The Forum has been organised
by the Botswana Export Development and Investment
Authority (BEDIA).
The Forum will also be attended by the Minister
of Trade and Industry Hon. Neo Moroka, the
Minister of Mineral Energy and Water Affairs Hon.
Charles Tibone and the Assistant Minister of
Agriculture, Hon. Peter Siele.
According to information received from BEDIA
other notable participants will include Mr. Nicky
Oppenheimer, the Chairman of De Beers, Mr Malcolm
Hewitt, Managing Director Barclays PLC for
Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean and the
Mr. Roy Blackbeard, the Botswana High
Commissioner to the Court of Saint James (UK) as
well as local business representatives.
It is further expected that the conference will
be attended by over 100 British business leaders
and investors.
(For more information one can contact either
Bedia or the Botswana High Commission in London.)
E 2) 10/6/05: Minister Skelamani to attend Kampala A.U. meeting:
Members of the Press are hereby informed that the
Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public
Administration, the Honourable Phandu Skelemani,
will depart for Kampala, Uganda on Saturday 11th
June 2005 in order to represent H.E. the
President on a select Committee of Heads of
States, which has been convened to discuss the
proposals to further reform the Structure of the
African Union. The Minister expected to return on
Tuesday 14th June 2005.
E 3) 9/6/05: 44th Annual International
Achievement Summit - Full list of 2005 Golden
Plate Award recipients
As previously reported, last Friday H.E. the
President was among 32 distinguished individuals
who were honoured by the international Academy of
Achievement with the "Golden Plate Award" at a
ceremony in New York City. Below for your
additional information is the complete list of
this year's recipients (in alphabetical order):
1) Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullhah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
2) Edward Albee - Playwright, three Pulitzer
Prizes, plays include "Who's Afraid of Virginia
Wolf."
3) Dr. Richard Axel and Dr. Linda Buck -2004 Nobel Prize in Medicine
4) Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra - US Baseball legend
5) Sir John Bond, Chairman HSBC Holdings
6) Dr. Aaron Ciechanover - 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
7) Katie Couric - Co-Anchor of "The Today Show" NBC (USA)
8) Hernando de Soto - acclaimed Peruvian economist
9) The Honourable Shirin Ebadi - Nobel Peace
Prize 2003, Iranian Gender Rights activist.
10) Sally Field - Actress, two Academy Awards
11) John Fogerty - Rock & Roll legend
12) Michael J. Fox - Actor, victim and activist on Parkinson's Disease
13) The Honourable Alberto Gonzales - US Attorney General
14) Dr. David Gross & Dr. Frank Wilczek 2004 nobel prize in Physics
15) Carolina Herrera - Fashion Design
16) Dr. Susan Hockford - President M.I.T.
17) John Irving - Distinguished author
18) The Honourable Anthony Kennedy - US Supreme Court Justice
19) Dr. Bernard Kouchner- Founder of Doctors without Borders
20) The Honourable Norman Mineta, US Secretary of Transportation
21) His Excellency Festus Mogae
22) Professor Toni Morrison - Nobel Prize for Literature
23) Itzhak Perlman - Violin Virtuoso
24) Paul Rusesabagina - Hero "Hotel Rwanda"
25) Tim Russert - Journalist, commentator, host "Meet the Press"
26) Dr. John Sexton, President New York University
27) Stephan Sondheim- Composer and Lyricist
28) The Honourable Lawrence Summers - President Harvard University
29) His Excellency Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal
30) Denzel Washington - Academy Award winning actor
31) Tom Wolfe - acclaimed novelist
Honourees for The Golden Plate Award are chosen
by the Awards Council of the international
Academy of Achievement (list of members
previously forwarded and otherwise available) in
consultation with "other distinguished
authorities."
The criterion for selection is that the honoured
must be "men and women of exceptional
accomplishment in the sciences, professions,
business, industry, arts, literature, sports,
entertainment, and public service."
E 4) 8/6/05: Mogae to meet with Bush in D.C.;
Mogae to attend 2nd South-South Summit in Doha
On Saturday afternoon (time tbc) H.E. the
President will depart for Washington D.C.,
U.S.A., where he will join four fellow African
Union leaders in a joint meeting with the
American President George W. Bush. The
consultation will take place at the White House
on Monday morning (13/6/05).
Also expected to attend the meeting will be the following Heads of State:
* H.E. President John Kufuor of the Republic of Ghana
* H.E. President Armando Guebuza of the Republic of Mozambique
* H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba of the Republic of Namibia
* H.E. President Mamadou Tandja of the Republic of Niger
In the context of extensive ongoing multi-lateral
discussions on various initiatives to further
promote Africa's development ahead of the
upcoming G 8 Summit in Scotland, one of the
stated purposes of the White House meeting will
be to draw international public attention to some
of the African countries that held free and fair
elections in 2004 and to otherwise highlight the
existence on the continent of governments
committed to good democratic practices and sound
economic management.
Likely issues to be discussed at the White House
meeting may include efforts to promote free, fair
and equitable trade, the recommendations of the
Commission for Africa Report (UK), the global
struggle against HIV/AIDS, and the progress being
made across the African continent to promote
peace and good governance.
The Washington mini-summit also comes in the wake
of intensive intra-African diplomacy in recent
months, which has included bilateral exchanges
between Botswana and Ghana, along with its
regional partners Mozambique and Namibia, as well
as SADC and AU consultations.
Earlier this year H.E. the President attended the
inaugurations of Presidents Guebuza and Pohamba.
Both leaders subsequently made official visits to
Botswana, which also followed farewell visits by
their immediate predecessors.
Presidents Mogae and Kufuor met briefly in Accra
earlier this year in anticipation of an official
visit to Botswana by the later, which had to be
postponed due to political developments in the
West African region. In place of President
Kufuor, the Ghanaian Vice-President, H.H. Alhaji
Aliu Mahama, came to Gaborone last month, where
he opened the 2005 Ghana Botswana Expo.
Following the White House meeting, on Monday
evening, President Mogae will leave Washington
for Doha, in the Emirate of Qatar. There he will
join other Heads of State in attending the 2nd
South-South Summit. The Summit is expected to
focus on a range of economic and political issues
ahead of the September gathering of Heads of
State at the United Nations in New York.
H.E. President Mogae is currently the
Vice-Chairman of SADC. It is expected that he
will assume the chairmanship of the organisation
in August, when Botswana will host the annual
SADC Heads of State Summit, which will also
coincide with the organisation's Silver Jubilee
celebrations in Gaborone.
E 5) 3/6/05: H.E. the President in New York (II):
a) Mogae meets with Paul Wolfowitz, b) Mogae
speaks at International Achievement Summit, c)
Mogae receives Golden Plate Award, d) Khama
arrives in New York for Conservation
International Meeting.
a) Mogae meets with World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz
This morning H.E. the President, Mr. Festus
Mogae, met with the President of the World Bank,
Mr. Paul Wolfowitz. The meeting took place at the
United Nations headquarters in New York.
Much of the discussion between the two focused on
the international response to the HIV/AIDS
challenge. Mr. Wolfowitz was also interested in
Botswana's record of development through good
governance.
b) Mogae speaks at the International Achievement Summit
(Following his meeting with World Bank President
Mr. Wolfowitz), this morning H.E. the President,
Mr. Festus Mogae joined H.E. the President of
Senegal, Mr. Abdoulaye Wade in a panel discussion
on the Future of Sub-Saharan Africa at the
International Achievement Summit, which was held
at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The Panel's format consisted of opening
statements by the two Presidents followed by a
question and answer session. It began with the
moderator, UN Deputy Secretary General for
Communication and Public Information, Mr. Shashi
Tharoor, introducing the two Presidents as being
the leaders of countries that have become known
as models of good governance on the continent.
In his opening statement, President Mogae
outlined for the audience some of the successes
and challenges facing Botswana after nearly four
decades of independence.
Responding to a question from the floor about
what encouraged him about Africa's future, be
noted that the emergence of democracy and the end
of conflict throughout much of the continent gave
him hope.
On the subject of the potential role of the
African Diaspora in the continent's development,
Mogae noted that they could play a greater role
in terms of both promoting investment and
contributing their skills. The President also
spoke in some detail on the HIV/AIDS challenge.
c) Mogae receives Golden Plate Award
This evening H.E. the President, Mr. Festus Mogae
was honoured to be one of the recipients of the
Golden Plate Award at a gala Banquet held at the
Waldorf Astoria Hotel [see also E 3; TT no. 19].
d) Khama in New York for Conservation International meeting
Yesterday late afternoon (2/6/05 EST) His Honour
the Vice President, Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian
Khama, arrived in New York, where he met briefly
with H.E. the President. His Honour the Vice
President has come to New York to participate in
a meeting of the Board of Conservation
International.
His Honour the Vice President will thereafter
leave for Japan, where he will be for a week long
official visit [see also E 1].
E 6) 2/6/05: Mogae, Annan hold talks at U.N.
New York - This morning President Mogae held
bilateral discussion with the Secretary-General
of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, at the UN
headquarters building in Manhattan.
Among the issues raised during the discussions
were the challenges to the Southern African
region posed by drought and HIV/AIDs, along with
the role of SADC.
The two leaders also discussed their common
desire to see through reforms in the structure of
the UN.
E 7) 30/6/05: Forwarded Press Release form the
Ministry of Finance and Development Planning -
Statement by the Hon. Minister Baledzi Gaolathe
on Pula Exchange Rate:
1. One of Botswana's exchange rate policy
objectives is to maintain a stable and
competitive real exchange rate of the Pula
against a basket of international currencies.
This is a critical element in our strategy to
achieve sustained and diversified development.
2. Following consultation with the Bank of
Botswana, pursuant to Section 21 of the Bank of
Botswana Act, His Excellency the President has
approved the following changes:
a. To adopt a new framework for the determination
of the Pula exchange rate consisting of the
following elements:
I. The Pula will continue to be pegged to a
basket of currencies consisting of our major
trading partners, namely the South African Rand
and the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) of the
International Monetary Fund, comprised of the US
Dollar, the Euro, the British Pound, and the
Japanese Yen.
II. The exchange rate of Pula to the basket will
be adjusted continuously rather than in discrete
steps. This system, often referred to as a
'crawling peg' exchange rate, has been
successfully employed by several other countries.
The rate of crawl will be reviewed from time to
time to align it with the differential between
the expected rate of inflation in Botswana and
the expected rate of inflation in the currencies
of the basket.
III. The margin between the buy and sell rates
for currencies quoted by the Bank of Botswana has
been increased from the current margin of ±
0.125% around the central rate to a margin of ±
0.5% around the central rate.
b. To start the new system from an exchange rate
in line with economic fundamentals, the Pula has
been devalued by 12% against the basket.
Monday's exchange rates posted at the Bank of
Botswana will reflect this adjustment.
3. The new system has major advantages over the
system it replaces. First, the slow steady crawl
provides an assurance that in the future the
exchange rate will remain in line with the
fundamentals. Second, it is forward looking,
which thereby provides an anchor for expectations
about future inflation and interest rates.
Third, the new system will encourage the
development of a foreign exchange market. This is
intended to encourage the development of an
inter-bank foreign exchange market. Primary
dealers are encouraged to trade foreign exchange
between themselves rather than have to come to
the Bank of Botswana to buy or sell foreign
exchange. It is expected, however, that the
margin between the wholesale buy and sell rates
of the primary dealers will not be significantly
greater than at present. As the foreign exchange
market among the primary dealers develops,
further increases in the width of the band around
the central rate will be announced. As the band
widens, the foreign exchange market will provide
a first line of gradual adjustment to changes in
fundamentals.
4. By keeping the real effective exchange rate in
line with the fundamentals, exporters and
domestic producers competing with imports will be
in a much stronger position vis-à-vis the rest of
the world. Tourism, textiles, diamonds,
copper-nickel, and beef are among the many
sectors that will benefit from the new system.
In addition, the assurance of a stable
competitive real effective exchange rate will be
an important reassurance to foreign direct
investors that Botswana is an attractive
destination. In brief, the new exchange rate
system is an important step on our path to rapid,
diversified and sustained job creation.
5. The new exchange rate system will be supported
by ongoing fiscal and monetary prudence.
Government expenditure will continue to play a
stabilising role in the economy by maintaining a
steady sustainable expenditure path that is
consistent with Government's long-term revenues.
The Mid Term Review of NDP 9, currently underway,
is mapping out a stable and sustainable path for
Government expenditures. In addition,
productivity improvement measures in Government,
parastatals and the private sector will be
enhanced to complement the foregoing.
E 8) Additional notices and forwarding from 30/5/05 until 12/6/05:
* 30/5/05: "Branding Africa"
* 6/6/05: News Alert: President Mogae to meet
with Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal tomorrow
* 8/6/05: AP "Bush plans talks with leaders of Africa"
* 9/6/05: Presidential Press conference on
Saturday at 15:00, at Mass Media Auditorium
* 9/6/05: Re: Mogae to meet with Bush - White House Statement.
Additional individual communications during the
period with SABC, Reuters, Boston Globe, Botswana
Gazette, Botswana Guardian, The Voice and The
Ngamiland Times.
F. Botswana in the Global Media mid-June 2005
F 1) Global on line news reports about Botswana
for the four weeks ending on the 11th of June
2005.
Note: The numbers below are approximations and do
not include all on line news reports, but rather
those recent, up to 30 day old, stories that are
being listed by major search engines with news
categories, which were consulted for this survey.
Keywords (11/6/05)
"Botswana" (total) 1850
1) & "AIDS" and/or "HIV" 429
2) & "Zimbabwe" 272
3) & "Trade" 258
4) & "President Mogae" 189
5) & "Democracy/Good Gov." 161
6) & "travel/tourism" 146
7) & "football/soccer" 135
8) & "Diamonds" 125
9) & "Human Development" 65
10) & "SADC" 64
11) & "Diamonds" & "Dev." 41
12) & "elephants" 37
13) & "Bushmen" 27
14) & "Masire" (former President) 25
15) & "McCall Smith" (author) 17
16) & "Survival International" 1
Notes: Of the 429 HIV/AIDS reports 141 referred
to Pope Benedict XVI's meeting this past week
with Southern African Bishops, while another 30
referred to Nelson Mandela's advocacy on the
issue. By Saturday the 11th there were 53 major
media reports on the scheduled meeting between
the US President Bush and the Presidents of
Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia and Niger along with
Botswana. External coverage of the Kenneth Good
deportation peaked at 25 in the immediate
aftermath of the High Court's ruling upholding
his deportation order. Most of the said reports
consisted of a single AP article on the
judgement, which was largely carried by online
Australian press.
F 2) Principal sources of online news reports
about Botswana appearing on select major search
engines for the four week period ending 11/6/05:
BOPA 409
Mmegi 171
allAfrica.com 81*
SAPA (RSA) 18
SABC (RSA) 12
News 24 (RSA) 10
Sunday Times (RSA) 6
Independent (RSA) 12
Zim Papers (Zimbabwe) 0
Reuters 129
AFP (Agence France Presse) 9
BBC 28
IRIN (UN Info Network) 31
Inter Press Service (IPS) 1
Associated Press (AP) 32
Voice of America 6
Xinhua News (China) 5
Bloomberg International 3
CNN 9
Notes: Approximately 31% of this past month's
surveyed on-line reports mentioning Botswana were
sourced directly from either the Botswana Press
Agency (BOPA) or Mmegi. All of the Mmegi reports
along with another 81 additional reports
mentioning Botswana were distributed by
allAfrica.com during the period. A mere 3% of the
stories were from other identified regional,
SADC, media sources. All other reports were of
non-local origin, albeit often authored by
regionally based journalists. The online editions
of the local Botswana Gazette, Midweek Sun and
Voice newspapers continue to not appear on the
news search engines consulted for purposes of
this survey.