Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in Ethiopia

🇲🇦 We’re partnering with Pan African Youth Union to host a Youth Town Hall with our Executive Secretary Claver Gatete in Tangier on 31 March.

Join the discussion to share ideas and solutions for digital transformation, innovation, and job creation across Africa.

Register: https://indico.un.org/event/1021509/

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: AU-YVC 2026!

Are you a young African professional ready to gain hands-on experience, broaden your horizons, and contribute to continental development?

The African Union Youth Volunteer Corps (AU-YVC) invites applications for its 2026 cohort. This fully funded 12-month programme places young professionals in AU Member States to serve, learn, and make a tangible impact in line with ( ).

We are looking for candidates who:
🎯 Are citizens of an AU Member State
🎯 Are aged 18–35 years
🎯 Hold a post-secondary qualification
🎯 Have at least one year of verifiable volunteer or professional experience

This is a unique chance to:
• Build professional skills across diverse sectors
• Gain cross-border work experience
• Connect with a Pan-African network of changemakers

🔗 Apply now: https://shorturl.at/jbjBm

🕒 Deadline: April 26, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE: CLOSURE OF MOREMI GAME RESERVE

TOLL FREE NUMBER : 0800 600 130

𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 🇧🇼🇪🇹

On the margins of the commemoration of the 130th Anniversary of the Victory of Adwa in Addis Ababa, the Minister for State President, Defence and Security of the Republic of Botswana, Honourable Moeti Caesar Mohwasa, held a bilateral meeting with Her Excellency Aisha Mohammed M***a, Minister of Defence of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

During the engagement, Honourable Mohwasa conveyed Botswana’s congratulations to the Government and people of Ethiopia on the historic milestone of the Victory of Adwa, noting its enduring significance not only for Ethiopia but for the African continent as a whole. He underscored that Adwa remains a powerful symbol of African unity, resilience, and self-determination.

The Honourable Minister reaffirmed Botswana’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Ethiopia across key sectors, including agriculture, aviation, capacity building, skills development, and technical exchange. He further emphasized Botswana’s appreciation of Ethiopia as a strategic partner, particularly in advancing peace, security, and continental stability through both bilateral and multilateral platforms.

For her part, Her Excellency Aisha Mohammed M***a expressed Ethiopia’s sincere appreciation for Botswana’s participation in the commemoration and reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to nurturing closer diplomatic and defence relations between the two countries. She highlighted opportunities for enhanced collaboration through defence cooperation, joint exercises, and knowledge exchange.

Her Excellency further indicated that Ethiopia’s defence and military industries remain open for engagement and invited Botswana to undertake benchmarking visits to Ethiopia’s defence manufacturing and capacity-building facilities. She noted Ethiopia’s readiness both to share its experiences and to learn from Botswana’s best practices in areas of mutual interest.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides expressing their shared commitment to deepening bilateral ties and advancing practical cooperation in support of peace, security, and Africa’s collective development.

Ministry of International Relations, Botswana

The search for Africa’s top tech talent is on. 🌍🚀

Applications for the African Union Digital & Innovation Fellowship (2026/2027 Cohort) are now open.

Through this 12-month immersive programme, 12 tech-skilled young professionals will be selected to contribute directly to Africa’s digital transformation from within the African Union system, working at the intersection of technology, policy, and innovation.

Are you ready to code for the continent? 👩🏾‍💻✨

Explore the 12 open fellowship positions and submit your application today:
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[Press Release]
African Union Theme of the Year 2026: A Call to Action for Safe Water and Sanitation to drive Africa’s Development Agenda.

The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) at its 39thOrdinary Session held on 14 February 2026, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has adopted as theme for the year, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”

As leaders and citizens rally together, in the pursuit of a healthier and more prosperous Africa, to take center stage, and bring hope and opportunity to millions of its citizens, the African Union will prioritize sustainable water and sanitation systems for 2026, as a pivotal step towards realizing the health aspiration of Agenda 2063.

📷This theme underscores the critical importance of water and sanitation in driving Africa’s development agenda and addressing the continent's pressing challenges. The adoption of the Africa Water Vision 2026 will help foster a strategic framework towards inclusive and climate resilient water security on the continent, paving the way for integrated water resources management within the Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus framework, which will in turn, promote a new narrative on water that fosters an appreciation of the vitality of water in economic growth; job creation; and industrialisation, among others. The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE), which is responsible for promoting sustainable agricultural development, rural economy growth, and environmental sustainability across Africa, is championing the implementation of the AU theme of the year 2026, in alignment with the AU Assembly Decisions.

The Africa Water Vision 2026 of “ an Africa where there is an equitable and sustainable management of water resources for poverty alleviation, socio-economic development, regional cooperation and the environment,” is timely, and in line with the AU vision of “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena”. A number of continental policy decisions and declarations have been taken by the AU to foster actualisation of these visions including the Africa Agenda 2063. The continental Agenda provides the framework and roadmap to achieve the aspirations on accelerated agricultural growth and transformation for shared prosperity and improved livelihoods, recommitting to the principles and values of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), and enhancing investment finance in agriculture, and intra-African trade in agricultural commodities, among others.

Climate Change, Water Security, Health and Sanitation

As Africa continues to grapple with the impacts of climate change, including increased droughts and flooding, the need for sustainable water management has never been more urgent. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), waterborne diseases remain a leading cause of mortality in Africa. To protect the interests of the African population, the AU is determined to improve access to safe sanitation facilities, particularly in rural and underserved urban areas and enhance water resource management for food security, economic stability, and resilience against climate-related challenges.

The AU’s 2026 theme serves as a clarion call for action across the continent. It stresses that achieving sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems is not just an environmental issue but a pathway to achieving broader socio-economic goals. Member States, civil society, and the private sector are urged to collaborate in addressing these challenges. The AU urges member states to engage local communities in planning and implementing water and sanitation projects. This participatory approach is seen as vital for ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of initiatives, as the AU advocates for robust policy frameworks to monitor progress and adapt strategies while monitoring the evolving water and sanitation conditions on the continent.

The theme on water and sanitation further calls for enhanced regional cooperation in managing transboundary water resources. Many of Africa's rivers and lakes cross national borders, necessitating innovative technologies for water purification, need collaborative approaches to ensure equitable and sustainable solutions for water and sanitation.

Water scarcity and inadequate sanitation are pervasive issues across Africa, affecting millions and stifling economic growth. The AU’s focus is to galvanize member states and stakeholders to prioritize these fundamental areas, in alignment with the broader aspirations of Agenda 2063, which seeks to foster inclusive and sustainable development by 2063.

The AU is in the process of developing an all-inclusive implementation strategy on the theme for the year 2026 on water and sanitation, featuring innovative solutions, youth, women, and marginalized communities, recognizing their critical role in driving sustainable change and share best practices. Hence the need to advocate for a new narrative on water that resonates with the expectations of the African citizenry. A narrative that recognizes the full potential of water in the socio-economic development of Africa, given that three out of four jobs are water-dependent and up to 80% of ailments impacting on the productivity of the labour force in Africa can be attributed to poor hygiene and sanitation. Water scarcity and supply disruptions limit economic growth. Exacerbated by climate change, water scarcity is also a contributing factor to migration while the transition to a greener economy enhances opportunities for decent jobs, etc).

The new narrative on water will therefore foster an appreciation of the vitality of water in economic growth, job creation, and industrialization. It would raise the business case and profile of water in national and regional development, position water better in the economy, accelerate the pace of water infrastructure investments. It will also increase awareness of water’s critical role in enhancing job creation and build on the foundations of integrated water resources management, to advocate for approaches such as the water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus.

Read @ https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20260214/au-theme-year-2026-call-action-safe-water-and-sanitation

39th

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali "Met with President Duma Boko of Botswana to discuss bilateral relations, regional issues, opportunities for enhanced economic cooperation, and exchanges on nurturing the next generation of African leaders."

𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟒𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧

The Republic of Botswana is participating in the Forty-Eighth (48th) Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU), taking place on 11–12 February 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Executive Council is one of the principal policy organs of the African Union. Composed of Ministers of Foreign Affairs or other designated Ministers of AU Member States, the Council is responsible for coordinating and taking decisions on policies in areas of common interest to Member States. It is answerable to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government and considers matters referred to it, while also monitoring the implementation of policies and decisions adopted by the Assembly, in line with the objectives of Agenda 2063.

During its 48th Ordinary Session, the Executive Council will:

-Consider the Report of the 51st Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC);
-Deliberate on African Union participation in the G20;
-Conduct elections and appointments to AU organs and institutions;
-Review the implementation of the Executive Council’s decision on the SACA process; and
-Consider draft legal instruments and matters relating to institutional governance.

Botswana remains committed to active participation in the policy processes of the African Union and to advancing continental priorities that promote peace, development, integration, and shared prosperity.

𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐫. 𝐏𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦

On 10 February 2026, the Minister of International Relations, Honourable Dr. Phenyo Butale chaired a meeting of the African Union (AU) Ministerial Committee on Candidatures in the International System, reaffirming Africa’s collective commitment to advancing and safeguarding the continent’s interests within global governance structures.

In his opening remarks, Honourable Dr. Butale emphasized the importance of unity, coordination, and strategic engagement in promoting qualified African candidates to key positions in international and multilateral institutions. He noted that Africa’s effective representation in the international system remains critical to ensuring that global decision-making processes reflect the continent’s perspectives, priorities, and aspirations.

The Committee reviewed progress on ongoing and upcoming candidatures and exchanged views on strengthening collaboration among Member States to enhance Africa’s success in international elections and appointments. Discussions also underscored the need for early identification of candidates, sustained diplomatic engagement, and mutual support among AU Member States.

Honourable Dr. Butale commended Member States for their continued cooperation and commitment to the AU’s common positions on candidatures. He called on all stakeholders to remain steadfast in supporting African candidates, stressing that collective action remains the most effective tool for advancing Africa’s influence in the international system.

The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to further strengthen coordination mechanisms and to uphold the principles of solidarity and inclusivity in pursuing Africa’s strategic representation at the global level.

The Minister is expected to deliver the report of the Committee during the upcoming 48th session of the Executive Council.

On 04 February 2026, Her Excellency Riccarda Chanda, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Observer to the African Union, paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Tebelelo Alfred Boang, Ambassador of the Republic of Botswana to Ethiopia.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, with discussions covering peace and security, climate action, humanitarian issues, labour migration, governance, and human rights, including the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Ambassador Chanda reaffirmed Switzerland’s strong engagement with multilateral institutions based in Addis Ababa, including the African Union (AU), UNECA, and IGAD, as well as its commitment to supporting peacebuilding, livelihoods, and human rights in the region.

Ambassador Boang underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation with the African Union and emphasized the need for continued follow-up on existing Memoranda of Understanding with Botswana, alongside advancing shared priorities in trade, governance, and international cooperation.

Furthermore, Ambassador Boang reaffirmed Botswana’s commitment as a human rights centric Government, guided by the rule of law, democratic values, and respect for international legal frameworks. He also expressed appreciation for Switzerland’s global leadership in promoting and safeguarding International Humanitarian Law, particularly in conflict and post-conflict settings.
🇧🇼🤝🇨🇭

Embassy of Switzerland in Ethiopia

Registration is now open for the Civil Society Pre-Summit Symposium on the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ African Union Theme of the Year!

🔗 bit.ly/AUWS26

On 9 February 2026, we'll convene civil society, public institutions, researchers, and partners in Addis Ababa, 🇪🇹 to launch continental engagement with the on assuring sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems in line with .

The symposium will unpack the Theme’s action framework and examine how coordinated, inclusive approaches can translate continental commitments into practical action at community, national, and regional levels.

This convening takes place on the margins of the AU Summit and is intended for organizations and practitioners working on water access, , , , inclusion, and social accountability.

Register now: bit.ly/AUWS26
Registration closes on 31 January. Spaces are limited.