Festus Mogae Explained

Honorific Prefix:His Excellency
Festus Mogae
Order:3rd
Office:President of Botswana
Term Start:1 April 1998
Term End:1 April 2008
Vicepresident:Seretse Ian Khama
Predecessor:Quett Masire
Successor:Seretse Ian Khama
Office2:4th Vice-President of Botswana
Term Start2:1991
Term End2:1998
President2:Sir Ketumile Masire
Birth Date:1939 8, df=yes
Nationality:Botswana
Children:3
Alma Mater:University College, Oxford
University of Sussex
Profession:Economist

Festus Gontebanye Mogae (born 21 August 1939) is a Botswana politician and economist who served as the third President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008.[1] He succeeded Quett Masire as President in 1998[2] and was re-elected in October 2004; after ten years in office. He stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

Biography

Early life

Mogae studied economics in the United Kingdom, first at University College, Oxford, and then at the University of Sussex.[3] [4] 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 later then served as the governor of Bank of Botswana from 1980 to 1981.[5] He served as the Minister of Finance from 1989 to 1998.[6] He was Vice-President of Botswana from 1991 to 1998.

Presidency

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[7] [8] by Chief Justice Julian Nganunu at the National Stadium in Gaborone.[8] On this occasion, he vowed to focus on the fight against poverty and unemployment.[7]

Following the BDP's victory in the October 2004 general election, Mogae was sworn in for another term on 2 November 2004.[9] Mogae promised to tackle poverty and unemployment, as well as the spread of HIV-AIDS, which he pledged to stop in Botswana by 2016.[10]

On 14 July 2007, Mogae affirmed his intention to resign nine months later.[11] He stepped down as President on 1 April 2008 and was succeeded by Vice-President Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama. He would have been required to leave office in 2008 in any event; a constitutional amendment passed in 1997 limited the president to a total of 10 years in office, whether successive or separated.

Post-presidency

Mogae currently serves as Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General on Climate Change.[12] In 2010, he joined the advisory board of US nonprofit TeachAids.[13] He also currently serves as chairman of the Choppies supermarket group where he earned Pula 529,000 in 2011.[14]

In 2013, along with former President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania, Mogae co-chaired a sustainable development symposium, hosted by the UONGOZI Institute in collaboration with Club de Madrid,[15] [16] organisation of which Mkapa was also a member.

Personal life

Festus Mogae married Barbara Mogae in 1967.[17] They have three daughters, born between 1969 and 1987: Nametso, Chedza and Boikaego.[17] [18]

Honours and awards

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.[19]

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."[21] [22]

In addition, he has received a number of honours such as the Naledi Ya Botswana order in 2003 and also received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 2005.[23] [24] [25]

A Trustee of the Rhodes Trust since 2010,[26] and in 2016, Mogae was appointed a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.[27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Festus Mogae. 2021-05-20. African Leadership Academy. en-US.
  2. Web site: Festus Mogae president of Botswana. 2021-06-01. Encyclopedia Britannica. en.
  3. Web site: Biography of Festus MOGAE. African Success. 14 October 2014. 8 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190208035907/http://www.africansuccess.org/visuFiche.php?id=572&lang=en. dead.
  4. Web site: BIOGRAPHY OF HIS EXCELLENCY MR. FESTUS GONTEBANYE MOGAE. 20 May 2021.
  5. Web site: Milestones | Bank of Botswana. www.bankofbotswana.bw.
  6. Web site: About Us - Ministry of Finance.
  7. http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=9860 "BOTSWANA: Mogae sworn in as president"
  8. "Botswana: Festus Mogae sworn in as president", Radio Botswana (nl.newsbank.com), 20 October 1999.
  9. "Update: Festus Mogae sworn in as president of Botswana", Xinhua (nl.newsbank.com), 2 November 2004.
  10. http://www.gov.bw/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=79 The Government of Botswana– Vision 2016
  11. http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=84&art_id=nw20070715145732985C233999 "Botswana's Mogae set to retire"
  12. Web site: Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys of the Secretary-General . United Nations . 19 October 2012 .
  13. News: Former President of Botswana, Festus Mogae, joins TeachAIDS Advisory Board. TeachAids. 16 September 2010. 16 December 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101206080535/http://teachaids.org/blog/former-president-of-botswana-festus-mogae-joins-the-teachaids-advisory-board/. 6 December 2010. dead.
  14. Web site: Mosikare . Oarabile . Inequality defines Botswana . MmegiOnline . 19 October 2012 . 19 October 2012 .
  15. Web site: Mkapa, Mogae to chair sustainable development meet . Daily News . 19 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131121063833/http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/24856-mkapa-mogae-to-chair-sustainable-development-meet . 21 November 2013 .
  16. Web site: Festus Mogae is the former President of Botswana, Club de Madrid Member . 2024-05-21 . Club de Madrid . en-US.
  17. News: Jay. Naidoo . A leader I would vote for: Botswana's former president Festus Mogae . . 4 April 2014 . 23 June 2017.
  18. News: Biography of His Excellency Festus Gontebanye Mogae, Former President of the Republic of Botswana . . July 2008 . 23 June 2017.
  19. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j8gbKwn0tsERDokBWPxImPipuWzQ "Sarkozy décore le président du Botswana pour sa bonne gouvernance"
  20. Web site: Past Recipients – Honorary Degrees . 2024-06-07 . honorarydegrees.usc.edu.
  21. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iMKoYhkYTsAnyoXj_qVqqzgeY2qQD93U6E1O0 ap.google.com, Former president of Botswana gets leadership prize
  22. Web site: Home. Reuters.
  23. Web site: Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement . www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
  24. News: 2005 Summit Highlights Photo . His Excellency Festus Mogae, President of Botswana and 2005 honoree, speaking at United Nations symposium..
  25. News: 2006 Summit Highlights Photo . Golden Plate Awards Council member President Festus G. Mogae of Botswana greets President William J. Clinton..
  26. Web site: The Rhodes Trust and Trustees.
  27. Web site: FESTUS MOGAE (Trustee of the Rhodes Trust). 7 May 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160630052141/http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/appointmentsandawards/festus-mogae-trustee-of-the-rhodes-trust. 30 June 2016. dead. dmy-all.

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