The United States considers Botswana an excellent partner and an advocate of
and model for stability in Africa. Botswana has consistently maintained a
democratic government, responsibly managed its natural resources, and invested
in its people and infrastructure. The bilateral relationship is strong, grounded
in a shared commitment to democracy, good governance, and human rights. The
United States and Botswana also share an interest in ensuring the sustainability
of Botswana's success by deepening economic diversification and promoting
regional economic growth and development.
U.S. Assistance to Botswana
The United States has been a major partner in Botswana's development since
its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. The U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) phased out its bilateral partnership with
Botswana in the mid-1990s, after successful programs emphasizing education,
training, entrepreneurship, environmental management, and reproductive health.
Botswana benefits along with its neighbors in the region from USAID's Initiative
for Southern Africa, based in Pretoria, and USAID's Southern Africa Trade Hub,
headquartered in Gaborone. The U.S. International Board of Broadcasters operates
a major Voice of America relay station in Botswana serving most of the African
continent.
Botswana is one of the focus countries for PEPFAR, the President's Emergency
Plan for Aids Relief. PEPFAR assistance to Botswana supports sustainable,
high-quality, cost-effective HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care
interventions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has undertaken
many projects and has assisted many organizations in the fight against the
HIV/AIDS epidemic in Botswana. HIV/AIDS-related programs also are a focus of the
Peace Corps.
The International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), which is jointly financed,
managed, and staffed by the Governments of Botswana and the United States,
provides training to police and government officials from across the sub-Saharan
region. Over 4,300 law enforcement professionals from 26 countries in
sub-Saharan Africa have received training from ILEA since it began offering
classes in 2001.
Bilateral Economic Relations
Botswana is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth
and Opportunity Act. The country belongs to the Southern African Customs Union,
which has signed a Trade, Investment, and Development Cooperative Agreement
(TIDCA) with the United States. The TIDCA establishes a forum for consultative
discussions, cooperative work, and possible agreements on a wide range of trade
issues, with a special focus on customs and trade facilitation, technical
barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and trade and investment
promotion.
Botswana's Membership in International Organizations
Botswana puts a premium on economic and political integration in Southern
Africa. Botswana and the United States belong to a number of the same
international organizations, including the United Nations, International
Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.