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Botswana: Independence
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Since independence, Botswana has had an impressive economic growth rate, averaging over 10% per year from 1976 through 1991. Growth in formal sector employment has averaged about 10% per annum over Botswana's first 30 years of independence. Recently, the government has maintained budget surpluses and substantial foreign exchange reserves totaling about $4.6 billion in 1996.
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Since independence, Botswana has had the fastest growth in per capita income in the world. Economic growth averaged over 9% per year from 1966-99. The government has maintained budget surpluses for 12 of the last 13 years, has no domestic debt, an insignificant foreign debt, and has stockpiled foreign exchange reserves (over $6.3 billion in 2000) amounting to over 3 years of current imports.
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Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates since independence in 1966. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment, poverty, and HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains.
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After independence, the government of Botswana made a deliberate effort to develop the necessary infrastructure to address basic human needs. Still, the challenge remains for development agencies like Action for Economic Empowerment Trust (AEET) to assist communities in their self development efforts, thereby reducing dependence on government.
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Botswana was granted protectorate status (as Bechuanaland) in 1885, though local authority was maintained with determination by the Tswana chiefs. In 1966, in the same wave of change that brought independence to much of the continent, Bechuanaland became the independent Republic of Botswana.
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Since independence in 1966 Botswana has been a nation-state of good governance, with free and fair elections involving a number of political parties held every five years. 13 political parties were registered for the last general election which was held in 1999. There is respect for the rule of law and the Judiciary is independent from influence of the Executive and Legislative branches of Government. The laws of Botswana guarantee, inter alia, individual and group freedoms of expression, association and property ownership
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