Botswana - 61.07
70
They’re finally getting it together
While it is in a similar situation to many of its contemporaries, Botswana achieved a similar status to Namibia and South Africa despite not having the advantages that they did. Without discounting the horrors of the apartheid system, it set up South Africa (and by extension Namibia) for relative economic success after it was repealed. The infrastructure for democratic administration was there under apartheid, but it was only accessible to White South Africans. The South Africa of today is the product of the country’s apartheid regime. Botswana did not have these stepping stones available to it. Botswana was not a settler colony to nearly the extent that South Africa was, and thus less attention was paid to its political and economic development. Botswana’s political system and economic growth are, by all accounts, organic. Botswana’s growth has largely been the result of the country’s post-independence government working to better the country. This is not to say that the country is without problems, however. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has ruled the country since independence without facing strong opposition at any point, partly through the misuse of state resources to further their campaigns. The economy remains weak by global standards and it is highly economically disparate, and Botswana’s people are very unhealthy. However, Botswana as a nation is poised to be at the forefront of the next century of African development.
Human Rights - 77
Botswana retains the death penalty and carried out its last execution in 2020. In one instance, police used excessive force to enforce COVID lockdown measures and on a separate occasion used excessive force to break up a protest. The COVID-19 state of emergency made it illegal to knowingly publish COVID-19 misinformation. Several people were arrested for publishing misinformation and were subject to hefty fines. The Batswana government is rumored to possess technology that would allow them to monitor the communications of private citizens. There is no credible evidence to suggest that the government possesses this technology and they have not commented on it. The government forced 200 Zimbabwean refugees to repatriate to Zimbabwe. These refugees had stated that they feared for their lives due to their affiliation with opposition parties. Spousal rape is not a crime in Botswana; the law recognizes marriage as consent. Domestic violence is also rarely prosecuted. This results in widespread spousal abuse, primarily against women. This issue is exacerbated in rural areas. Botswana is far and away one of the most LGBT-friendly countries in Africa. It is the only country on Earth where the right for trans people to change their legal gender is enshrined in the constitution. Despite this, however, LGBT Batswana cannot serve openly and same-sex relationships are not recognized. Abortion is legal to save a woman’s physical and mental health, as well as in cases of rape, incest, or fetal impairment.
Democracy - 56
The president is elected by the national assembly and is not currently subject to term limits. The current president is an interim and did not go through the electoral process. The lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, is directly elected, while the upper house, the Council of Chiefs, is appointed by tribes. Some seats in the Council of Chiefs are elected by tribes, but others are hereditary or appointed positions. Elections are generally free and fair, but a mandate for electronic voting made voting very difficult for some of Botswana’s rural nomadic communities. The incumbent Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) abuses state resources to stay in power but party formation and participation are not restricted. No opposition party has ever held a majority in parliament and the BDP has rarely even needed to form a coalition. Botswana received a five point penalty for their democratic system being under the control of an unelected incumbent at year’s end
Freedom - 61
Botswana has banned advertising in news broadcasts. The government claims that advertising causes journalists to promote a “corporate narrative.” However, this hurt the viability of local news outlets. Most foreign news outlets put their content behind a paywall or charged for their newspapers. The press in Botswana is dominated by state-affiliated media as a result. Some foreign academics have faced deportation for criticizing the government, which has resulted in self-censorship among foreign academics in Botswana. Botswana has unenforced laws that prohibit insulting the president, government officials, the flag, the coat of arms, or the national anthem. Violators were subject to hefty fines when this law was enforced in the early 2000s. The COVID-19 state of emergency made it illegal to knowingly publish COVID misinformation. Several people were arrested and subjected to heavy fines under this law. The government has unenforced laws prohibiting “slanderous and libelous claims published in media.” The Batswana government is rumored to possess technology that would allow them to run an extensive surveillance network, including monitoring private online communications. However, there is no credible evidence to suggest that such a network exists and they have not commented on the matter. Botswana has strictly enforced drug laws. Botswana officially may issue gun ownership permits but does not in practice.
Economy - 43
Health - 34
Botswana has a life expectancy of 69 years and an infant mortality rate of 3.2%. 18.8% of Batswana are obese and 24% are malnourished. Virtually all Batswana have access to a hospital through the country’s universal healthcare system but it is of fairly consistent mediocre quality. 47.1% of Batswana have access to clean, running water. Tuberculosis remains a significant issue, though the country has recently begun to quell the country’s malaria epidemic. HIV prevalence among adults in Botswana sits at 20.3% - one of the highest in the world. Despite immunization efforts many Batswana still blame HIV on homosexuality.
Corruption - 72
Bribes are far from uncommon in Botswana’s low-level courts, especially in civil suits. However, higher-level courts in Botswana are regarded as generally noncorrupt. Police frequently extort bribes at road checkpoints in Botswana but police corruption is not systemic. Tax money is frequently embezzled at low levels. It is impossible to obtain contracts without bribes in Botswana.
Competency - 47
Disease remains rampant in Botswana. The Batswana economy, while strong by African standards, continues to struggle and significant portions of the population live in poverty. The government is failing to protect women. The government is failing to repeal or use unenforced laws. Botswana has a more comprehensive anti-poaching network than most other sub-Saharan African countries.
Future - 78
Rates of malaria have been falling in Botswana. Additionally, despite a major dip during COVID, the Batswana economy has been growing quickly. Botswana’s position as a noncorrupt, resource-rich democracy primes it for development in the near future.
Actions Abroad - 77
Botswana maintains close relations with all of the world’s major superpowers. Botswana is part of the Belt and Road Initiative, while the United States is heavily involved in fighting disease in Botswana. Meanwhile, Russia is an important trade partner for Botswana and has helped train Batswana medical professionals. Botswana has struggled to house a flood of migrants from Zimbabwe and continues to deport migrants back to Zimbabwe. Botswana has deployed troops to anti-poaching missions in Angola, Namibia, and South Africa. Botswana has also deployed troops as part of a UN mission to quell an insurgency in Cabo Delgado. Botswana has been a vocal supporter of the new government of Sudan in their effort to end the Darfur genocide.
14.5% of Batswana live below the international poverty line and 19.7% live below the national poverty line. 17.7% of Batswana are unemployed. Botswana is one of the most economically disparate countries on Earth. The minimum wage in Botswana is $0.35 per hour. Botswana’s universal healthcare system is decent; virtually the entire population has access to healthcare but it is of fairly mediocre quality across the board. The GDP of Botswana shrunk 8.7% in 2020 and grew 3% in 2019.