Botswana calls on U.S. to assist with COVID-19 vaccines

Gaborone, Botswana | Xinhua | Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Tuesday appealed to his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden to assist the southern African country with COVID-19 vaccines.

Masisi made the appeal during a closed-door meeting with visiting U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland in Botswana’s capital city, press secretary of the presidency Batlhalefi Leagajang told reporters.

The president “expressed frustration at the slow pace of vaccine distribution which he said has resulted in the loss of many lives,” said Leagajang, adding that the assistance can go by sales or donations.

Botswana has put many of her development projects on hold and channeled money towards the fight against COVID-19, including vaccine payments, Leagajang said.

Nuland, the first senior U.S. official to visit Botswana after Biden took office, conveyed the administration’s admiration for Masisi’s governance both at home and in the region.

Botswana currently chairs the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation, an informal SADC mechanism launched in 1996 to promote security and stability in the region.

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Xinhua