Editing Politics of Botswana (section)

== Policy issues ==

=== Economic policy ===
{{Further|Economy of Botswana}}
Botswana is an upper middle income country with a [[mixed economy]] and it has one of the strongest economies in Africa. The foundation of Botswana's economic policy was set by the first post-independence government in the 1960s, incorporating a self-sustaining budget system through a series of national development plans.<ref name=":7" /> There is significant [[income inequality]] in Botswana, particularly between the relatively developed urban areas and the poorer rural areas.{{Sfn|Hillbom|Bolt|2018|p=5}} The unemployment rate in Botswana was 20% as of 2015.<ref name=":14" /> Botswana's dependence on the diamond industry has led to diversification of the economy becoming one of the nation's major economic policy goals throughout its history. Government programs such as the [[National Development Bank of Botswana|National Development Bank]], the [[Botswana Development Corporation]], the [[Financial Assistance Policy]] and the [[Economic Diversification Drive]] have been implemented to spur economic growth in other industries, but they have not significantly decreased the nation's dependence on its diamond industry.{{Sfn|Hillbom|Bolt|2018|p=144}}

The economy of colonial Bechuanaland focused on cattle farming and this was the primary industry for the first decade of Botswana's independence.{{Sfn|Hillbom|Bolt|2018|p=16}} As most of the nation was involved with this field in some form, there was little cause for class conflict in the predominantly rural population. While land distribution was sometimes an issue, there was enough unclaimed land that cattle farmers could operate as nomads, further reducing disagreement over economic issues.{{Sfn|Leith|2005|p=55}} In 1967, diamond deposits were found in Botswana.{{Sfn|Hillbom|Bolt|2018|p=8}} This incentivised the government to pursue a [[commodity economy]] from [[mining]], supplemented with smaller industries such as beef farming, manufacturing and tourism.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last1=Mwansa |first1=Lengwe-Katembula |last2=Jacques |first2=Gloria |date=2014 |title=Weathering the Storm: Botswana's Culture of Care |journal=The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare |volume=41 |issue=2 |pages=109–125|doi=10.15453/0191-5096.3953 |s2cid=54529195 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The country's economic success is attributed to [[Neoliberalism|neoliberal]] policies of free markets and private property protections, significantly increasing the population's post-independence living standards.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":7" /> Botswana was one of the only sub-Saharan governments that did not engage in significant regulatory or redistributive policy following decolonisation. This, as well as its fiscally responsible management of the diamond industry, led to some of the world's largest economic growth over the following decades.<ref name=":12" />{{Sfn|Hillbom|Bolt|2018|p=8}} More recent development has emphasised [[welfare state]]hood through redistributive economic policy.<ref name=":7" />

=== Foreign policy ===
{{Further|Foreign relations of Botswana}}
The president is responsible for the foreign policy of Botswana, overseeing the [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Botswana)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]. Botswana's political and economic success relative to other countries in Africa has led it to play a larger role in regional and global affairs. By the end of the 20th century, Botswana had begun sending financial and military support to neighbouring countries and international organisations.<ref name=":10" /> Botswana has emphasised [[multilateralism]] in its foreign policy.<ref name=":11">{{Cite journal |last=Lekoa |first=LC |date=2019 |title=Botswana and the Multilateral Foreign Policy |journal=Botswana Notes and Records |volume=51 |pages=118–122}}</ref> Its landlocked territory and export-driven economy have incentivised it to maintain strong diplomatic ties with other countries,<ref name=":10" /> and its low population and proximity to unstable governments have caused Botswana to work closely with [[international organisations]] for security and resources.<ref name=":11" />

From 1966 to 1994, the countries bordering Botswana were unstable or otherwise hostile to Botswana. It did not establish formal relations with its largest neighbour, South Africa, during the latter's discriminatory [[apartheid]] rule.<ref name=":11" /> In its first years, Botswana had no military. The Botswana Defence Force was eventually created in response to regional instability.<ref name=":10">{{Cite book |last=Zaffiro |first=James |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9780429502521/african-foreign-policies-stephen-wright |title=African Foreign Policies |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=1998 |isbn=9780429502521 |editor-last=Wright |editor-first=Stephen |pages=66–83 |chapter=Exceptionality in External Affairs: Botswana in the African and Global Arenas |doi=10.4324/9780429502521-4 |chapter-url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429502521-4/exceptionality-external-affairs-botswana-african-global-arenas-james-zaffiro}}</ref> As South Africa liberalised after 1994, Botswana's primary foreign policy concern became the instability in neighbouring Zimbabwe.<ref name=":12" />

For much of its history as an independent country, Botswana practiced a [[realpolitik]] foreign policy. During the presidency of Ian Khama, it shifted to an [[Idealism in international relations|idealist]] foreign policy, in which it routinely criticised governments for human rights violations. During this period, it was often the only member of the [[African Union]] to support the [[International Criminal Court]] or to condemn human rights violations in autocratic nations.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Malila |first1=Ikanyeng S. |last2=Molebatsi |first2=Robert M. |year=2014 |title=Botswana's Experimentation with 'Ethical Foreign Policy' |url=https://saccps.org/pdf/3-1/SAPSS%203(1)%20Malila%20and%20Molebatsi.pdf |journal=Southern African Peace and Security Studies |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=5–25}}</ref>

=== Social policy ===
Botswana's relative wealth compared to other countries in the region has allowed for high spending on public services such as education, health and infrastructure.{{Sfn|Hillbom|Bolt|2018|p=9}} As of 2014, the [[Ministry of Education and Skills Development]] had the largest budget of any government initiative.<ref name=":7" /> Approximately 10,000 kilometres of road were paved in the first fifty years of the country's independence, compared to the 50 kilometres that existed before independence.<ref name=":12" />

[[Welfare spending|Welfare]] programs in Botswana are relatively limited and subject to [[means test]]ing and there is no national level social security.<ref name=":7" /> The country's predominantly arid environment results in droughts becoming a frequent public welfare concern.<ref name=":12" /> [[HIV/AIDS]] is the most serious healthcare issue in the country and the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Botswana is one of the most severe outbreaks in the world. Botswana received less foreign aid when combating the epidemic in the 1990s, allowing it to spread.<ref name=":7" />