Botswana

The new Permanent Representative of Botswana to the United Nations, Gladys Mokhawa, presented her credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

The United Nations team in Botswana, following a polio outbreak, supported authorities with two immunization campaigns targeting children under the age of seven, with nearly 30 districts targeted with house-to-house visits and immunization efforts in health centres, and over 700,000 children reached.

In Botswana, the United Nations team led by Resident Coordinator Zia Choudhury reports that the country is set to become the first in Africa to achieve the “95-95-95” AIDS targets set out by the United Nations General Assembly, eight years before the 2030 target.

With reports that the Omicron variant has been detected in Botswana, the United Nations team is increasing its support for the Government’s COVID-19 response, including by providing medical and protective equipment.  To date, 75 per cent of people in the country have received at least one dose, while 68 per cent are fully vaccinated.

A new report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development found that the crash in international tourism due to COVID-19 could cause a $4 trillion loss to global gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 and 2021, due to the pandemic’s direct impact on the sector and ripple effects on others.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Zia Choudhury of Bangladesh as the UN Resident Coordinator in Botswana, with the host Government’s approval.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said at least 19 children have been killed and dozens injured in Sudan since 3 June, amid reports that they are being detained, recruited to join the fighting and sexually abused.  Many parents are far too scared to let their children leave the house, fearful of violence.

The new Permanent Representative of Botswana to the United Nations, Collen Vixen Kelapile, presented his credentials to UN Secretary‑General António Guterres today.