Botswana Minute.
Friday, 16 October 2026
Botswana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Friday, 16 October 2026
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Botswanan press · Person

Duma Boko

Also known as: President Boko · President Advocate Duma Boko · Advocate Duma Boko · President Duma Gideon Boko · President Duma Boko · His Excellency President Advocate Duma Boko · Adv. Duma Boko · President Adv. Duma Boko · H.E. President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko · Mr. Boko

President of Botswana conducting state visits and bilateral engagement with China, Mozambique, and other nations on trade, investment, and governance reform.

2026-04-062026-10-16

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. October 2026
  2. Daily News Botswana

    President Advocate Duma Boko has affirmed Botswana’s support to Madagascar in restoring political and economic stability. …

    Botswana stands with Madagascar in quest for stability
  3. Daily News Botswana

    … President Randrianirina’s meeting with the diaspora formed part of his state visit to Botswana, during which he also held talks with President Duma Boko on strengthening bilateral relations and regional cooperation. …

    Randrianirina urges Malagasy diaspora to remain united
  4. Daily News Botswana

    President Advocate Duma Boko has stressed the need for judges to reduce errors in their decision, noting that that some rulings are final. …

    Boko stresses accuracy in rulings
  5. Daily News Botswana

    President Advocate Duma Boko and Mozambican President Daniel Chapo have challenged the private sector of both nations to unlock new trade frontiers, capitalise on rich natural resources and fast-track long-awaited regional corridors. …

    Business forum targets new trade and investment frontiers
  6. Daily News Botswana

    … President Advocate Duma Boko and his Mozambique counterpart, President Daniel Chapo, joined the crowds at the Main Mall, where various lifestyle groups staged displays along Khama Crescent. …

    Botswana celebrates in style
  7. Daily News Botswana

    … Held under the theme: Building Resilience, Driving Prosperity, the evening blended history, music, military precision and entertainment, with President Advocate Duma Boko and First Lady Kaone among the dignitaries. …

    Botswana relives 1966 at Diamond Jubilee
  8. September 2026
  9. Daily News Botswana

    President Advocate Duma Boko (second left), Mozambique President Daniel Chapo (left) and Minister of Sport and Arts Mr Jacob Kelebeng touring some of the exhibitors’ stalls at the Main Mall, which formed part of the country’s 60th Diamond Jubilee Independence Day celebrations. …

    Botswana celebrates in great style
  10. Weekend Post

    … Since Advocate Duma Boko was sworn in as Botswana’s president in late 2024, he has passed through that threshold with conspicuous frequency – thirty-nine regional and international journeys in roughly twenty months, a cadence that has made the presidential aircraft one of the bus …

    Boko trips: Spent P28M: Promises P47Bn
  11. Weekend Post

    … They accuse the Botswana National Front of stoking the turbulence engulfing the party, and have laid a share of the blame at the feet of President Duma Boko and the former president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, for the troubles now besetting the B.D.P. …

    Behind the curtain, BDP’s old guard closes ranks around Balopi
  12. Weekend Post

    President Duma Boko used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday to press for changes to the global financial system, arguing that developing countries need cheaper, more reliable financing to expand their economies, create jobs and sustain essential publi …

    Boko takes Botswana’s case for financial reform to the U.N.

Yesterday

  1. President Boko tours Communist Party museum during China visit

    President Advocate Duma Boko toured the Museum of the Communist Party of China during a State Visit to the People's Republic of China on Wednesday. The museum, opened in 2021, covers the Communist Party's history from 1921 to the present through over 2,600 images and 3,500 cultural relics and artefacts.

    15 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  2. Botswana-China partnership elevated to facilitate business investment

    President Advocate Duma Boko announced that Botswana-China relations have been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, which will enable businesses to operate seamlessly in Botswana and across Africa. Boko emphasized Botswana's political stability, recent peaceful change of government, and highest continental credit rating as reasons investors should view it as the safest entry point to Africa.

    15 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  3. Botswana, China sign broadcasting cooperation agreement

    Botswana and China have signed a Memorandum of Agreement on news dissemination through broadcasting media, represented by Botswana Television and Xinhua News Agency respectively, as part of President Duma Boko's state visit to China. The agreement establishes a legal framework for cooperation in news dissemination via television and internet platforms.

    15 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Wednesday 14 October

  1. Botswana and Huawei sign digital transformation cooperation agreement

    Botswana and Huawei have signed a Cooperation Agreement on Digital Transformation covering cloud computing, smart education, telemedicine, public security, and artificial intelligence. President Advocate Duma Boko, who toured Huawei's Beijing Research Institute, said the partnership would help make critical government services seamless, efficient and accessible.

    14 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 13 October

  1. Boko says Botswana wants to emulate China's development model

    President Duma Boko told President Xi Jinping in Beijing that Botswana wants to follow China's rapid development path, praising China for lifting over 800 million people out of poverty in less than four decades and commending its visionary leadership since 1949.

    13 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 12 October

  1. Botswana seeks diversification beyond diamonds despite bureaucratic barriers

    President Duma Boko called for closer cooperation between government and the private sector at the Second Presidential Business Roundtable to unlock investment and develop industries capable of driving growth beyond mining, though businesses continue to face bureaucratic hurdles in securing finance.

    12 October 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  2. Nurse numbers decline as Botswana pursues universal healthcare

    Public sector nurses fell to 7,620 in 2024 from 8,948 three years earlier, while the combined density of doctors and nurses dropped to 35 per 10,000 people from 42 in 2021, remaining below the WHO benchmark of 45 per 10,000, according to Statistics Botswana. President Duma Boko's government is moving to establish a National Health Insurance system to expand access to healthcare and reduce financial barriers.

    12 October 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  3. Boko faces decision on intelligence chief's contract

    President Advocate Duma Boko will face a defining decision over the future of Botswana's intelligence services as the contract of Brigadier Peter Fana Magosi, director general of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security, expires on 13 October 2026.

    12 October 2026 · Weekend Post →

  4. Botswana plans e-mobility hub with China partnership

    Botswana aims to establish an e-mobility hub for producing and assembling electric vehicle components, leveraging its 50-year diplomatic relationship with China. A site has been identified in Serorome Valley along the Tropic of Capricorn for the project, with President Advocate Duma Boko visiting China to benchmark against Fuzhou's 30-year development transformation.

    12 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  5. President Boko visits China at Xi Jinping's invitation

    President Advocate Duma Boko travelled to China on October 9 for a state visit at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and advancing cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, health, education, tourism, and infrastructure.

    12 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  6. President Boko meets Xi Jinping in Beijing for bilateral talks

    President Advocate Duma Boko held official talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing to discuss trade and economic cooperation, including agriculture, health, education, digitalisation, defence, tourism and infrastructure development. Boko participated in a wreath-laying ceremony and officiated at the Botswana-China Business Forum during the state visit.

    12 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Friday 9 October

  1. Botswana, Mozambique establish Binational Commission for deeper cooperation

    Botswana and Mozambique have agreed to elevate their bilateral cooperation framework into a Binational Commission chaired by their respective presidents to deepen political relations and widen trade. The decision was announced by Mozambican President Daniel Chapo during a three-day state visit to Botswana hosted by President Duma Boko, with the new structure intended to enhance accountability and track implementation of bilateral agreements.

    9 October 2026 · Weekend Post →

Thursday 8 October

  1. BCP questions Boko's reported DIS chief contract extension

    The Botswana Congress Party has questioned President Duma Boko's reported decision to extend Directorate of Intelligence and Security Director General Brigadier (Rtd) Peter Magosi's contract, noting tension with the UDC's previous calls for intelligence reform.

    8 October 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

  2. Boko calls for global financial system overhaul at UN

    President Duma Boko told the UN General Assembly that developing countries face unfairly high borrowing costs, forcing governments to choose between debt service and spending on schools, hospitals, and job programmes. He called for cheaper, more reliable financing access and greater private capital investment in developing economies.

    8 October 2026 · Weekend Post →

  3. President Boko urges private sector beyond government tenders

    President Duma Boko has called on the private sector to transform Botswana's economy through innovation, production and genuine entrepreneurship rather than relying on government tenders. He criticised the dominance of "tenderpreneurship"—middleman business models that inflate prices without adding value—and urged businesses to focus on manufacturing, intellectual property development and utilising local resources.

    8 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Wednesday 7 October

  1. Armenian oncologist sought Botswana nomination for WHO director role

    Dr Gevorg Tamamyan, an Armenian oncologist and Botswana's candidate for WHO Director-General, personally approached the Botswana Government in August, meeting President Boko and ministers to request their nomination for the position.

    7 October 2026 · The Botswana Gazette →

Tuesday 6 October

  1. President Boko welcomes Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

    President Duma Boko received the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester during their four-day official visit representing King Charles III, describing the visit as a symbol of Botswana's status in the Commonwealth and an opportunity to cement relations with the United Kingdom during the year marking 60 years of independence and six decades of diplomatic ties.

    6 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  2. Indian High Commissioner pledges to advocate for Botswana globally

    Outgoing High Commissioner of India to Botswana Bharath Kumar-Kuthati, concluding his three-year-plus tenure, pledged to remain an advocate for Botswana wherever his next assignment takes him, citing milestones including cheetah relocation to India and an Indian presidential visit. President Duma Boko acknowledged his contribution to strengthening bilateral relations across education, defence, and environmental conservation.

    6 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Monday 5 October

  1. Former president Khama amplifies criticism of elephant culling for celebrations

    Former President Ian Khama reshared a BBC report criticizing Botswana's decision to kill elephants for meat as part of the country's 60th Independence Day celebrations, reviving public-relations challenges for President Duma Boko's administration over the international backlash.

    5 October 2026 · Botswana Sunday Standard →

  2. Botswana markets diamonds amid recovery effort

    President Duma Boko and the Minerals and Energy minister attended a promotion event in New York to support a rebound in diamond sales. The minister said Botswana must market natural diamonds more aggressively and tell the country's story to drive sustained demand and greater value.

    5 October 2026 · Mmegi →

  3. Boko urges judicial accuracy as two justices take bench

    President Duma Boko swore in Justice Professor Tachilisa Balule to the High Court and Justice Tshegofatso Mogomotsi to the Court of Appeal, urging both to minimise errors in their decisions and recognise the weight their rulings carry for litigants, families, and society.

    5 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  4. Botswana pledges support for Madagascar's political and economic restoration

    President Duma Boko affirmed Botswana's commitment to supporting Madagascar in restoring political and economic stability during a two-day visit by Madagascar's President Colonel Michael Randrianirina, noting Madagascar's progress toward normalisation following political turmoil and SADC-overseen restoration efforts.

    5 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  5. Madagascar's president calls for diaspora unity in Gaborone

    Madagascar's President Colonel Michaël Randrianirina met with the Malagasy community in Gaborone on Saturday, urging diaspora members to remain united despite political differences and to contribute to the country's development through investment and expertise. The community raised concerns about Madagascar's engagement with SADC and called for stronger communication between Madagascar's government institutions and regional structures.

    5 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Thursday 1 October

  1. Botswana, Mozambique presidents urge business sector expansion

    Presidents Advocate Duma Boko and Daniel Chapo addressed a Botswana-Mozambique Business Forum, challenging private sector leaders to unlock new trade frontiers, capitalise on natural resources, and fast-track regional corridors to drive economic transformation and improve citizens' livelihoods.

    1 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  2. Botswana marks 60th independence anniversary with Gaborone carnival

    A colourful carnival procession featuring military, police, dancers, scouts and traditional performers converged at Gaborone's Main Mall on Wednesday as Botswana celebrated its 60th independence anniversary. President Duma Boko and visiting Mozambique President Daniel Chapo joined crowds and participated in traditional dance performances alongside community groups.

    1 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

  3. Botswana marks Diamond Jubilee with stadium celebration

    Botswana celebrated its Diamond Jubilee pre-Independence at the National Stadium on Tuesday night with performances from police and prison service bands, speeches from dignitaries including President Duma Boko, Mozambique President Daniel Chapo, and a fireworks display. The event, themed Building Resilience, Driving Prosperity, drew large crowds despite cold drizzle.

    1 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Wednesday 30 September

  1. Botswana marks 60th Independence Day with Diamond Jubilee celebrations

    Botswana held its 60th Diamond Jubilee Independence Day celebrations under the theme "Building Resilience, Driving Prosperity," with President Duma Boko, Mozambique President Daniel Chapo, and the Minister of Sport and Arts touring exhibitor stalls at the Main Mall.

    30 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 29 September

  1. President Boko's 39 foreign trips cost P28M in first twenty months

    Since President Duma Boko took office in late 2024, he has undertaken 39 regional and international journeys in roughly twenty months, spending P28M on presidential aircraft operations. The article notes promises of P47Bn in strategic partnerships but does not detail how those commitments have been redeemed.

    29 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

  2. BDP elders rally behind embattled party president Balopi

    Veteran BDP members are privately urging party president Mpho Balopi to remain in his position despite mounting pressure for him to step aside following criminal charges filed against him by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions. The elders argue that only party structures that elected him may remove him from office.

    29 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

Monday 28 September

  1. Opinion: Multiparty politics requires substantial financial resources

    An Mmegi opinion piece argues that neither Zunaid Moti nor President Boko is at fault for their involvement in campaign financing, as both were following the established rules of multiparty politics, where elections require substantial financial resources for parties to campaign and organise.

    28 September 2026 · Mmegi →

Duma Boko — Botswanan press coverage · Botswana Minute