Editing Botswana (section)

===Independence===
In June 1964, the United Kingdom accepted proposals for a democratic self-government in Botswana. An independence conference was held in [[London]] in February 1966.<ref>{{cite web|title=U.K.: Bechuanaland independence conference opens in London 1966|url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA1T4XABSD8UKW27D8CE76D4K2H-UK-BECHUANALAND-INDEPENDENCE-CONFERENCE-OPENS-IN-LONDON/query/Bechuanaland|website=British Pathé historical collection|access-date=20 January 2021|archive-date=4 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604175143/https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/143349/|url-status=live}}</ref> The seat of government was moved in 1965 from [[Mahikeng]] in South Africa, to the newly established [[Gaborone]], located near Botswana's border with South Africa. Based on the 1965 constitution, the country held its first general elections under universal suffrage and gained independence on 30 September 1966.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishempire.co.uk/article/fireworksatmidnight.htm |title=Fireworks at Midnight |website=Britishempire.co.uk |access-date=27 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103054412/http://www.britishempire.co.uk/article/fireworksatmidnight.htm |archive-date=3 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Seretse Khama]], a leader in the independence movement,<ref>Rotberg, Robert I., 'Botswana: Africa's Democratic Exception', ''Overcoming the Oppressors: White and Black in Southern Africa'' (New York, 2023; online edn, Oxford Academic, 19 Jan. 2023), [[doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674208.003.0008|DOI]], accessed 11 June 2024.</ref> was elected as the first president, and subsequently re-elected twice.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zuber |first=David |date=2022-04-04 |title=Seretse Khama (1921–1980) • |url=https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/people-global-african-history/seretse-khama-1921-1980/ |access-date=2024-06-11 |language=en-US |archive-date=6 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240606131806/https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/people-global-african-history/seretse-khama-1921-1980/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Khama died in office in 1980. The presidency passed to the sitting vice-president, [[Quett Masire]], who was elected in his own right in 1984 and re-elected in 1989 and 1994. Masire retired from office in 1998. He was succeeded by [[Festus Mogae]], who was elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2004. The presidency passed in 2008 to [[Ian Khama]] (son of the first president), who had been serving as Mogae's vice-president since resigning his position as Commander of the [[Botswana Defence Force]] in 1998 to take up this civilian role. On 1 April 2018, [[Mokgweetsi Masisi|Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi]] was sworn in as the fifth president of Botswana, succeeding Ian Khama.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13040376|title=Botswana country profile|work=BBC News|date=3 April 2018|access-date=10 March 2021|archive-date=7 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307103607/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13040376|url-status=live}}</ref> A long-running dispute over the northern border with [[Namibia]]'s [[Caprivi Strip]] was the subject of a ruling by the [[International Court of Justice]] in December 1999. It ruled that [[Kasikili Island]] belongs to Botswana.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southern-eagle.com/namibia/namgeninfo.html |title=Namibia General Information |publisher=Southern-eagle.com |date=21 March 1990 |access-date=21 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716112332/http://www.southern-eagle.com/namibia/namgeninfo.html |archive-date=16 July 2011 }}</ref>

The Botswana Democratic Party consistently held power until the [[2024 Botswana general election]], which was won by the [[Umbrella for Democratic Change]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c238n5zr51yo |work=BBC News|title=Botswana ruling party rejected after 58 years in power|first1=Wycliffe|last1=Muia|first2=Damian|last2=Zane|date=1 November 2024|access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref> On 1 November 2024, [[Duma Boko]], the leader of the UDC, was sworn in as president of Botswana, becaming the first president not to represent the BDP.<ref>{{cite news |title=Why is Botswana's peaceful power transfer being ignored?|first=George|last=Okachi|url=https://www.dw.com/en/world-headlines-ignore-botswanas-peaceful-power-transition/video-70686382 |work=dw.com|date=4 November 2024|access-date=3 January 2025 |language=en}}</ref>