From 5 to 11 October, students from the Royal College of Defence Studies visited Botswana as part of a tour that takes them to DRC, Botswana, Uganda and Ethiopia. Sir Jeffrey James, a former British High Commissioner to Kenya, led the 11 students, all senior military officers from the UK and 6 other countries.

The students, on a one-year course in preparation for senior leadership in their respective armed forces, met with the Ministers for the Environment, Wildlife and Tourism and Labour and Home Affairs as well as senior officials from a number of other ministries. They took a keen interest in the reasons behind Botswana’s successes and also the challenges that lay ahead. In addition, the group visited Jwaneng mine to study the crucial role that diamonds play in the Botswana economy and Maun to see at first hand Botswana’s tourism industry. The students met senior officers from the Botswana Defence Force and were able to discuss the role of the armed forces in Botswana.

At the end of their visit, Colonel Will Taylor, one of the visiting students said: ‘Vibrant, colourful, energetic and exciting, Botswana has been the highlight of our tour to date. The obvious love and commitment among its people shines through at all levels. Botswana is a gem in Southern Africa.'