When it comes to Africa, many people's first impression may be poverty, backwardness and instability. However, in this land, there is a country that, with its development achievements, has shown the world a different side of Africa. It is Botswana, a landlocked country rich in diamond resources. How did it grow from an economic and political periphery to a model of economic growth and democracy? This article introduces you to Botswana, Africa's most successful country, in terms of history, economy, culture, leadership, policy and current situation.
history
Botswana's history dates back to around 200 BC, when some predominantly pastoral Bantu settled here. They formed different tribes, the largest of which were the Tswana people, who made up more than 80% of the total population. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Tswanaese suffered great pressure and threats due to the invasion of Dutch and British colonists in South Africa, as well as the expansion of the Zulu and Ndebele peoples. In order to protect their interests and territory, they turned to the United Kingdom for protection, and in 1885 it became a British protectorate, named Bechwanna. During this period, three chiefs of Botswana (Khama III, Bathoen I, and Sebele I) played an important role by arranging a mission to Queen Victoria through the London Mission to garner further support from the British government. This is an early example of Botswana using foreign power against other foreign powers.
At the beginning of the 20th century, many expected Bechwanna to be annexed to South Africa—as stipulated in the alliance agreement that ended the British-Boer War. But the chiefs of Botswana, with the help of British allies, waged a long and successful campaign against annexation to South Africa. Ultimately, the apartheid policies of the South African National Party government, as well as events such as the 1960 Sharpeville massacre and South Africa's withdrawal from the Commonwealth, ensured that Britain would not hand over Bechwanna to South Africa, despite the pressure still being exerted by South Africa.
In the early 1960s, Botswana faced a dire situation with the constitutional development of protected areas. By 1965, this sparsely populated and landlocked country the size of France was surrounded by white minority regimes: South Africa, Rhodesia, and Southwest Africa. Years of drought eventually destroyed one-third of the nation's cattle herd, the country's only asset, while an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease prevented farmers from transporting cattle to market before they starved to death.
UK aid covers half of the operating budget and the entire development budget. There were only a handful of university graduates, and the first government secondary school was not established until the eve of independence. There are only five kilometers of asphalt roads in the country. Perhaps Botswana citizens with wage work in South Africa are ten times as many as Botswana in cash employment. With a per capita income of only 10 per cent of the world average, it is one of the poorest countries in the world. Even more embarrassing is the Mafijin in the Cape province of South Africa. As South Africa's ban on immigration, Botswana's most important political figure, Seretsse Kama, cannot even travel to his own country's capital.
On 30 September 1966, Bechwana officially declared its independence and changed its name to the Republic of Botswana. Seretsse Kama became the first president, and he led the Botswana Democratic Party, a party that has been in power ever since, to this day. Under his leadership and that of subsequent presidents, Botswana achieved economic growth and political stability, becoming one of Africa's most successful countries.
economy
Botswana's economic miracle is inextricably linked to its diamond resources. In 1967, shortly after independence, a large number of diamond deposits were discovered, which quickly transformed Botswana from a poor and backward agricultural country to a middle-income country. According to the World Bank, Botswana's GDP per capita grew by an average of 5.9% per year from 1966 to 2014, making it one of the fastest growing countries in the world. Diamond exports account for more than 90 per cent of Botswana's total exports and are a major source of government revenue and foreign exchange reserves.
However, diamonds are not the only factor in Botswana's economic success. In fact, many other African countries with abundant natural resources have not achieved economic development as Botswana, but have fallen into the so-called "resource curse", in which abundant resources lead to economic stagnation, political corruption and social unrest. So how can Botswana avoid such tragedies and capitalize on its diamond wealth?
The answer lies in how it manages and uses diamond revenues. First, Botswana established a joint venture, Debs Swana, with De Beers, the world's largest diamond company, giving Botswana a 50% stake and profits, as well as greater control over diamond production and sales.
Secondly, Botswana has established a sound economic system and policy framework to ensure the rational distribution and efficient use of diamond revenues. It has pursued a conservative fiscal policy to save a portion of diamond revenues through the establishment of sovereign wealth funds and budget balancing rules to cope with future uncertainty and risk. It has also developed a sustainable monetary policy that maintains monetary stability and international competitiveness through an exchange rate regime linked to a basket of currencies. It had also pursued an open trade policy that had expanded markets and business opportunities through membership in the Southern African Development Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Thirdly, Botswana invests another portion of its diamond revenues in public infrastructure and social services to enhance the well-being and productivity of its people. It has vigorously developed infrastructure such as transportation, communications, energy, and water conservancy, and improved connectivity and reliability at home and abroad. It has also significantly increased spending on education, health, social security, etc., and improved the quality and health of human capital. It has also implemented a number of prevention and treatment programmes that address major public health problems such as HIV/AIDS, effectively controlling the spread and impact of the disease.
It is thanks to these wise and effective economic management measures that Botswana has been able to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by diamond resources to achieve economic growth and social development. According to the IMF's assessment, Botswana's "prudent and robust policy framework in managing mineral resources" has allowed it to "enter the crisis with greater fiscal space than most countries" and has responded "decisively" to the coronavirus pandemic. Debs Wanna, a joint venture between Botswana and De Beers, the world's largest diamond company, also launched a new business strategy in 2021 that is expected to generate at least 9 billion pula (about $900 million) in additional revenue over the next four years. According to Reuters, diamond sales in Debswana in 2021 increased by 64% year-on-year, benefiting from the recovery of the global diamond market.
culture
Botswana's culture is diverse and rich, reflecting its multi-ethnic and multilingual society. There are more than 20 different ethnic groups in Botswana, the largest of which are the Tswana people, who make up more than 80% of the total population. Other major ethnic groups include the Baburu, Basalwa, Bayayi and others. Each people has its own language, traditions, customs and beliefs, but also shares some values and ideals, such as respect and loyalty to family, community and country, and the pursuit of peace, democracy and development.
The official language of Botswana is English, but the most widely spoken language is Tswana, which belongs to the Bantu language family and shares similarities with some languages of neighboring countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. In addition to English and Tswana, more than 20 other languages are spoken, some of which belong to the Bantu language family and others belong to the Khoisan language family, such as Basalwa or Sam. These languages are usually spoken within their respective nationalities or regions, but there are also some bilingual or multilingual people.
Botswana's culture is also reflected in its art, music, dance, literature, gastronomy, and more. For example, Botswana is known for its exquisite handicrafts such as woven baskets, pottery, wood carvings, metal crafts, etc. These handicrafts are not only of practical value, but also decorative and symbolic, reflecting the life experience and cultural traditions of the makers. Music and dance are an integral part of Botswana culture, expressing emotions, beliefs, values, and social relationships in a variety of contexts. The styles and forms of music and dance vary from ethnic group to nationality, but there are also some common features, such as the use of instruments such as drums, harmonica, whistles, and an emphasis on rhythm, repetition, and improvisation.
Literature-wise, Botswana has a long and rich oral tradition, including myths, legends, fables, riddles, proverbs, etc. These stories not only entertain and educate listeners, but also preserve historical memories and cultural heritage. With the development of written literature, contemporary writers such as Bessie Head, Unity Dow, Barolong Seboni, etc., have also written novels, poems, plays, etc. in English or Tswana that reflect Botswana society and culture.
In terms of cuisine, Botswana's traditional food is mainly a variety of boiled, stewed, grilled and fried dishes with corn, sorghum, beans, beef and chicken as the main ingredients, such as polenta, sorghum cake, bean soup, oxtail soup, chicken curry, etc. With the influence of foreign cultures, Botswana's cuisine has also become more diverse, such as pizza, burgers, sushi, etc.
Botswana's culture is one of the important factors in its success. As Professor Stephen R. Lewis Jr. of Carleton College points out, Botswana's success is closely related to how it has preserved its traditional culture that is compatible or essential to democratic development in building its new nation. Botswana, for example, inherited the chieftaincy system of the Tswana people, combining it with the modern political system to form a unique democratic republic. Under this system, chiefs are not only traditional authorities and arbiters, but also bridges and coordinators between the government and the community. Another example is Botswana's national philosophy "Botho", which means mutual respect, cooperation and harmony, social responsibility and humanitarianism. This concept is not only embodied in the national flag, national anthem and national vision, but also in the actions and decisions of governments and citizens, promoting social cohesion and development.
Past leaders
Botswana's leadership is another important factor in its success. Since independence in 1966, Botswana has been governed by the Democratic Party of Botswana, a party founded in 1962 by Seretsse Kama and a number of other ethnic leaders. Kama himself was the chief of the Bamuratala tribe and the first president of Botswana. Between 1966 and 1980, he laid a solid political and economic foundation for Botswana and promoted the modernization and democratization of the country. His policies included protecting human rights, promoting a multiparty system, upholding the rule of law, opposing apartheid, developing education, and protecting the environment. He also struck an agreement with De Beers that would benefit diamond mining and sales in Botswana, bringing huge benefits to the country. After his death in 1980, he was succeeded by his vice president, Ketumile Masire.
Masire, the second President of Botswana, continued Kama's policy between 1980 and 1998 and made improvements and innovations in a number of areas. He had strengthened the efficiency and transparency of the Government, established an effective public financial management system, formulated a long-term national development plan, and promoted economic diversification and private sector development. He also expanded the coverage of social services and infrastructure, improving the living standards and welfare of the people. He also excelled in diplomacy, supporting the anti-apartheid movement in Southern Africa, actively participating in regional and continental organizations such as the Southern African Development Community and the African Union, and maintaining good relations between Botswana and Western countries. After voluntarily resigning in 1998, he was succeeded by his vice president, Festus Mogay.
Mogaee was the third President of Botswana, and he faced a number of new challenges and opportunities between 1998 and 2008. On the economic front, he continued to pursue sound and flexible policies in response to the impact of the global financial crisis and the volatility of the diamond market, maintaining economic growth and fiscal balance. Focusing on AIDS as a serious threat to national security and development, he implemented a series of prevention, treatment and care measures, including the provision of free antiretroviral drugs to all those who need them, resulting in a reduction in HIV infection from 25.1 per cent in 2001 to 17.6 per cent in 2008. He also introduced some political reforms, such as amending the constitution, limiting presidential terms to two 10-year terms, and establishing an independent electoral commission. He was succeeded by his vice president, Ian Kama, after handing over power on time in 2008.
Kama is the fourth president of Botswana and the son of Seretsse Kama, who caused some controversy and divisions between 2008 and 2018. On the economic front, he has put forward an ambitious "Vision 2016" plan to build Botswana into a high-income, high-welfare, high-quality country. He promoted a number of large-scale infrastructure projects such as hydroelectric power plants, airports, railways, etc. to boost economic growth and employment. He also advocated social protection measures such as food subsidies for low-income families, pensions for the elderly, and allowances for the disabled. In politics, he showed some authoritarian and authoritarian tendencies, such as interference in the judiciary, suppression of the media, restrictions on civil society, and exclusion of dissent. He has also raised environmental and human rights issues, such as the expulsion of the Basalwa or San from the Central Kalahari Wildlife Sanctuary in order to mine diamonds and other minerals. After his retirement in 2018, he was succeeded by his vice president, Mokuwice Masisi.
Masisi is the fifth president of Botswana, and between 2018 and so far, he has tried to change some of Kama's policies and restore Botswana's image of democracy and development. On the economic front, he launched an economic recovery and transformation plan to respond to the impact of the pandemic, promote economic diversification and innovation, and improve competitiveness and productivity. On the social side, he focuses on improving education, health, gender equality and other areas, increasing public spending and investment, and improving people's welfare and well-being. He has also introduced some political reforms, such as restoring presidential term limits, deregulating the media and civil society, and engaging in dialogue with opposition parties and other stakeholders. He also amended controversial laws, such as decriminalizing homosexuality and reinstating the shoot-and-kill policy for poachers. After winning the general election in 2019, he continues to lead Botswana on a more prosperous and progressive path.
epilogue
Botswana is one of the most successful countries in Africa, and its success stems from its good government, good policies and good luck. It has taken advantage of the opportunities presented by diamond resources to achieve economic growth and social development. It has maintained political stability and democratic institutions, winning respect and trust at home and abroad. It also demonstrates cultural diversity and inclusiveness and fosters a national spirit of peace, cooperation and development. However, Botswana also faces some challenges and risks, such as economic dependence, environmental pressures, public health issues, human rights disputes, etc. To address these challenges and risks, Botswana needs to continue to diversify and innovate its economy, strengthen environmental protection and climate adaptation, improve public health and education, safeguard human rights and social justice, and strengthen regional and international cooperation. Only in this way will Botswana be able to maintain its position as Africa's most successful country and make a greater contribution to itself and Africa's future.