INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

DEFINITION OF TERMS
FOREIGN POLICY-the picture through which a country wants to be known by others e.g.,
Botswana wants to be known as a peaceful country.
SOVEREINGNITY-the right and power for an independent country to run its affairs without
interference from other countries and international organizations.
DIPLOMACY- the skillful and tactful management of international relations (how a country
relates with other countries).
DIPLOMATS/AMBASSODORS-these are people who represent their countries in other
countries.

IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Helps in sustaining peace in the world-countries that have relationship are unlike to go to
war hence there will be world peace.
Helps in opening routes for trade-countries are able to trade with each other in order to
get what they do not produce.
Assistance/access to aid-countries help each other with loans and aid during natural
disasters like flooding, carthquake and volcanic eruptions.
Cooperation-countries can work together during national crises
Promotes exchange of skills and technology-countries exchange computers, machinery
which will aid in the daily life of Batswana.
Human resource exchange/exchange of skilled manpower-countries can exchange skilled
manpower such as doctors, engineers, pilots etc

HOW B0TSWANABENEFITS FROM INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Trade-Botswana is able to get goods that she is not able to produce from having relations
with other countries. E.g., fuel, sugar
Foreign aid-Botswana is able to get help such as financial aid/ loans from other countries
like china in order to develop herself.
Acquisition of skilled manpower-Botswana is able to get skilled manpower like doctors,
engineers and pilots from rich countries like China and Russia who come in to help
Batswana.
Employment opportunities-Some Batswana are employed in other countries that
Botswana has relations with.
Scholarship from rich countries-some rich countries which Botswana has relations with
like China, offer Batswana students scholarships.
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 Cultural exchange- Batswana willlearn and enrich their cultures they interact with people
from different cultures hence improve their lifestyles.
Exchange of technology and ideas- Botswana gets technical devices and machinery from
countries like china.

PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE BOTSWANA IN HER INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

" Protection of national interest/Botswana first-Botswana will always care for her citizens
before caring for citizens of other countries (foreigners) e.g. employment opportunities
priority is given to the citizens.
" Good neighbourliness/peaceful co-existence-when Botswana is having conflict with her
neighbours, she resolves them peacefully. E.g., Namibia and Botswana conflict over
Sedudu Island was resolved peacefully by the International Court of Justice.
Respect for international law-Botswana respects international laws like respect for human
rights, Geneva Convention.
Respect for human rights-Botswana respects human rights as stated in the UN Charter
and are also included in the constitution.
Non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries-Botswana does not interfere
with internal affairs of other countries. As an independent state, Botswana respects the
sovereignty of other countries.
Non alignment-when two countries are having conflicts, Botswana does not take sides.
She remains neutral and encourages them to resolve them peacefully.
Respect for territorial integrity-Botswana respects the territorial boundaries of other
countries. She does not invade into other countries without permission.
ROLE PLAYED BY BOTSWANA IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. AT REGIONAL LEVEL (Southern Africa)

Mediation/diplomacy-for example the forner President Festus Mogae mediated between

Mugabe and Tsvangarai in order to maintain peace in the region.
Peace keeping-Botswana sent some soldiers to Lesotho to stop the civil war in order to
maintain peace in the region.
Promote free and fair elections-Botswana takes part in SADC elections observer missions
in order to promote free and fair elections to ensure there is no cheating hence
maintaining peace in the region.
Provides refugee-Botswana provides refugee to Angolans and Namibians in order to
sustain peace and dignity in the region.
Promote respect for human rights-Botswana condemned apartheid, xenophobic attacks in
South Africa and human rights violations in Zimbabwe thereby promoting respect for
human rights in the region.

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 LEVEL (Arica)
2. CONTINENTAL mediated in Democratic
Republic
former president
Mediation/diplomacy-for example the continent.
order to promote peace in the Rwanda to stop
of Congo in
missions- Botswana sent some soldiers to
Participates in peace keeping
maintain peace in the continent. missions in
the war in order to takes part in AUelections observer
elections- Batswana promoting
Promote free and fair promote free and fair elections thus
there is no cheating to
order to ensure
peace in the continent. human rights violations in Rwanda
and
human rights-condemning
Promote respect for
rights.
Syria to promote respect for human peace and
refugee-Botswana provide refugee to Somalipeople in order to sustain
Provide
dignity in the continent.

3. INTERNATIONAL LEVEL (Global)

peace keeping forces to maintain
Participate in peace keeping mission-through the UN
peace in the world.
human rights violations globally.
Promote respect for human rights-Botswana condemns human rights.
Charter of
Botswana observes the human rights listed in the UN
resolve her conflict with
Diplomacy-Botswana used the International Court of Justice to
world.
Namibia over Sedudu Island to maintain peace in the
International Red Cross, Survival
Allows UN agencies to work in Botswana-e.g
International in order to sustain life and promote peace in the world.
elections observer mission in
Promote free and fair elections-Botswana takes part in UN
hence promoting
order to promote free and fair elections to ensure there is no cheating,
peace in the world.
RELATIONS
CHALLENGES FACED BY BOTSWANA IN INTERNATIONAL
Survival
Interference by international organizations-international organizations such as
This may
International and Amnesty International interfere in Botswana's internal affairs.
on
tarnish the name and image of the country and result in sanctions being imposed
Botswana.
Botswana's
Big brother attitude/controlled by super rich countries-rich countries can buy
diamonds at very low prices which result in loW profits or the country
Language barrier-Botswana cannot communicate easily in deals with Portuguese and
French speaking countries. This limits interactions between Botswana and other foreign
language speaking countries.

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 Political instability in some countries-esults in influx of immigrants into the country
which result in social ills in the country.
Geographical location-Botswana is a landlocked country. This makes her inaccessible as
a result this disturbs trading between Botswana and other countries.

ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONSIN MAINTAINING PEACE

UN

Promotes security in the world through security council-it is against the manufacturing
and sale of nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
Military interventions-through the UN peace keeping forces it is able to sustain and save
people's lives.
Resolves conflicts legally through the International Court of Justice.
Imposing sanctions on countries which abuse human rights.
AU

Encourages respect for human rights

Sending soldiers on peace keeping missions to war torn countries
Mediation/diplomacy
Promote election observer missions in Africa

SADC

Mediation/diplomacy-for example the former President Festus Mogae mediated between

Mugabe and Tsvangarai in order to maintain peace in the region.
Peace keeping-Botswana sent some soldiers to Lesotho to stop the civil war in order to
maintain peace in the region.
Promote free and fair elections-Botswana takes part in SADC elections observer missions
in order to promote free and fair elections to ensure there is no cheating hence
maintaining peace in the region.
Provides refugee-Botswana provides refugee to Angolans and Namibians in order to
sustain peace and dignity in the region.
Promote respect for human rights-Botswana condemned apartheid, xenophobic attacks in
South Africa and human rights violations in Zimbabwe thereby promoting respect for
human rights in the region.
 EFFORTS MADE IN PROMOTING INTERNATTONAL RELA TIONS (UN)
POSITTVES

Promote world peace

Conflict resolution
Military intervention
Promote free and fair elections
Imposing economic sanctions in some countries which do not respect human rights.
NEGATIVES
Some countries still make nuclcar weapons
It is biased
Human rights violations during military interventions still happen.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. EXPLAIN ANö THREE PRINCIPLES GUIDING BOTSWANA'S FOREIGN

RELATIONS.
2. EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
3. EXPLAIN ANY THREE CHALLENGES FACING BOTSWANA N
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
4. DESCRIBE THE ROLE PLAYED BY BOTSWANA AT REGIONAL (Southern
Africa), AND CONTNENTALAfrica) LEVELS.
5. EXPLAIN THREE WAYS THROUGH WHICH B0TSWANA BENEFITS FROM
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
6. DESCRIBE THE ROLE OF UN, AU,IN MAINTAINING PEACE.
7. EVALUATE THE ROLE OFUN IN PROMOTING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.