Festus Mogae
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Festus Gontebanye Mogae
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 Festus Mogae (left) with former US Secretary of State Colin Powell |
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| In office April 1, 1998 – April 1, 2008 |
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| Vice President | Ian Khama |
| Preceded by | Quett Masire |
| Succeeded by | Ian Khama |
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| Born | 21 August 1939 Serowe, Botswana |
| Political party | BDP |
| Spouse | Barbara Mogae |
| Children | Chedza Mogae Nametso Mogae Boikaego Mogae |
Festus Gontebanye Mogae (born August 21, 1939) is a former President of Botswana, having served from 1998 to 2008. He succeeded Quett Masire as President in 1998 and was reelected in October 2004; after ten years in office, he stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Ian Khama. Mogae is a Motalaote and his native language is Setswana.
Mogae studied economics in the United Kingdom, first at the University College, Oxford and then at the University of Sussex. He returned to Botswana to work as a civil servant before taking up posts with the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of Botswana. He was Vice-President of Botswana from 1992 to 1998.
Mogae's party, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), retained power in the October 1999 general election, and Mogae was sworn in for a five-year term on 20 October 1999[1][2] by Chief Justice Julian Nganunu at the National Stadium in Gaborone.[2] On this occasion, he vowed to focus on the fight against poverty and unemployment.[1]
Following the BDP's victory in the October 2004 general election, Mogae was sworn in for another term on 2 November 2004.[3] Mogae promised to tackle poverty and unemployment, as well as the spread of HIV-Aids, which he pledged to stop in Botswana by 2016.[4]
On 14 July 2007, Mogae affirmed his intention to resign nine months later.[5]
Mogae was awarded the Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on 20 March 2008 for his "exemplary leadership" in making Botswana a "model" of democracy and good governance.[6] He stepped down as President on 1 April 2008 and was succeeded by Vice-President Ian Khama.
Mogae won the 2008 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, and will receive US$ 5 million over 10 years and US$ 200,000 annually for life thereafter. At London's City Hall on 20 October 2008, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated: "President Mogae's outstanding leadership has ensured Botswana's continued stability and prosperity in the face of an HIV/AIDS pandemic which threatened the future of his country and people."[7][8]
On April 14, the African Presidential Archives and Research Center at Boston University (APARC) will welcome His Excellency Festus Gontebanye Mogae. His topic of discussion for his visit is "Democratization in Africa: What Africans Expect from the Obama Administration." Mogae will speak in Boston University's School of Management. He is also due to talk at the Harvard School of Public Health on "Evolving HIV/AIDS Policies in Africa".
Mogae currently serves as Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General on Climate Change.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "BOTSWANA: Mogae sworn in as president", IRIN, October 20, 1999.
- ^ a b "Botswana: Festus Mogae sworn in as president", Radio Botswana (nl.newsbank.com), October 20, 1999.
- ^ "Update: Festus Mogae sworn in as president of Botswana", Xinhua (nl.newsbank.com), November 2, 2004.
- ^ The Government of Botswana – Vision 2016
- ^ "Botswana's Mogae set to retire", AFP (IOL), July 15, 2007.
- ^ "Sarkozy décore le président du Botswana pour sa bonne gouvernance", AFP, March 20, 2008 (French).
- ^ ap.google.com, Former president of Botswana gets leadership prize
- ^ reuters.com, Botswana's Mogae wins African leadership prize
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Peter Mmusi |
Vice-President of Botswana 1992 – 1998 |
Succeeded by Ian Khama |
| Preceded by Quett Masire |
President of Botswana 1998 – 2008 |
Succeeded by Ian Khama |
| Awards and achievements | ||
| Preceded by Joaquim Chissano |
Prize for Achievement in African Leadership 2008 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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