Botswana–Namibia relations

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Bilateral relations between Botswana and Namibia

title: "Botswana–Namibia relations" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["botswana–namibia-relations", "bilateral-relations-of-botswana", "bilateral-relations-of-namibia"] description: "Bilateral relations between Botswana and Namibia" topic_path: "general/botswana-namibia-relations" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botswana–Namibia_relations" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Bilateral relations between Botswana and Namibia ::

Botswana–Namibia relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Botswana and Namibia. Botswana gained independence from Britain in September 1966. Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990 following the Namibian War of Independence, and the two countries soon after established formal diplomatic relations. Botswana has a high commission in Windhoek{{cite web |url=http://www.botnam.com.na/ |title=Botswana High Commission Website in Namibia |publisher=Botswana Ministry of Foreign Affairs |accessdate=2009-07-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504064149/http://www.botnam.com.na/ |archivedate=2009-05-04 |url=http://namibia.visahq.com/embassy/Botswana/ |title=Namibia Embassy in Botswana |accessdate=2009-07-14}} Both countries are members of the Southern African Development Community, African Union, Group of 77, and Commonwealth of Nations.

Treaties

As of 2008, there was no treaty covering the long border between Botswana and Namibia.{{cite web |url=http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=1&dir=2008/October/Friday10 |title=Botswana has no border treaty with Zim, Namibia |author=Bame Piet |publisher=Mmegi |accessdate=2009-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002215820/http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=1&dir=2008%2FOctober%2FFriday10 |archive-date=2017-10-02 |url-status=dead |url=http://www.mpil.de/ww/en/pub/research/details/publications/institute/wcd.cfm?fuseaction_wcd=aktdat&aktdat=dec0313.cfm |title=Case concerning Kasikili/Sedudu Island |publisher=Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law |accessdate=2009-07-15 |archive-date=2012-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219102125/http://www.mpil.de/ww/en/pub/research/details/publications/institute/wcd.cfm?fuseaction_wcd=aktdat&aktdat=dec0313.cfm |url-status=dead |url=http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=3862 |title=Of arms and islands: The Botswana Namibia cold war |author=Alex Vines |publisher=Africa Files |date=November 1996 |accessdate=2009-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174150/http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=3862 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead

In 1994, Botswana, Namibia and Angola agreed to establish the Okavango River Basin Commission, with a view to establishing a treaty governing joint use of the water resources, but progress towards finalizing the treaty has been slow.{{cite book |title=Botswana & Namibia |author1=Paula Hardy |author2=Matthew D. Firestone |publisher=Lonely Planet |year=2007 |ISBN=978-1-74104-760-8 |page=72}} In 2004, Botswana and Namibia were cosignatories along with other states of the Zambezi river basin of an agreement establishing the Zambezi Watercourse Commission to manage the riparian resources of the Zambezi.{{cite web |url=http://www.zacpro.org/downloads/ZAMCOM%20AGREEMENT.pdf |title=AGREEMENT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ZAMBEZI WATERCOURSE COMMISSION |publisher=Zacpro: Zambezi River Action Plan |accessdate=2009-07-15 |title=Management of Transboundary Rivers and Lakes |author1=Olli Varis |author2=Cecilia Tortajada |author3=Asit K. Biswas |publisher=Springer |year=2008 |ISBN=3-540-74926-8 |page=59ff}}

Economic cooperation

In 2002, the Namibia and Botswana Power Corporations signed an agreement to supply electricity to the Ghanzi and De Hoek areas in Botswana and Namibia respectively.{{cite web |url = http://www.sadocc.at/news2002/2002-184.shtml |title = Namibia-Botswana Power Corporations Sign Agreement |publisher = Southern Africa Documentation and Cooperation Centre |accessdate = 2009-07-14 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171003025741/http://www.sadocc.at/news2002/2002-184.shtml |archive-date = 2017-10-03 |url-status = dead |url=http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/now-angola-namibia-botswana-mull-global-fibre-alternative-2007-08-31 |title=Now Angola, Namibia, Botswana mull global fibre alternative |publisher=Creamer Media (Pty) Ltd |date=31 August 2007 |accessdate=2009-07-14}} In 2008, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe held a legal joint sale behind closed doors in Namibia of seven tons of ivory to Chinese and Japanese bidders, earning more than US$1.18 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/3274754/Elephant-tusks-sold-legally-for-first-time-in-a-decade.html |title=Elephant tusks sold legally for first time in a decade |publisher=Telegraph Media Group |date=28 Oct 2008 |accessdate=2009-07-14 | location=London | first=Sebastien | last=Berger}} In October 2008, Namibia approved the proposal by a private company to export coal from Botswana via a railway to be constructed to Namibian ports. The Mmamabula deposit is said to possess about 2.8 billion tonnes of coal reserves (see Mining industry of Botswana).

Disputes

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Okavango_River_Basin_map.png" caption="Okavango river basin map."] ::

Botswana and Namibia had a long-running dispute about ownership of the Kasikili / Sedudu island in the Chobe River, which forms part of the border between the two countries.{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/280109.stm |title=Namibia-Botswana border dispute before UN court |publisher=BBC News |date=February 15, 1999 |access-date=2009-07-14}} In December 1999, judges at the World Court ruled that the island belongs to Botswana.{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/1999/12/991213-namibia1.htm |title=WORLD COURT/NAMIBIA/BOTSWANA (L-O) |author=LAUREN COMITEAU |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org |date=1999-12-13 |accessdate=2009-07-14}} In the Caprivi Strip, the UNHCR reported that between October 1998 and February 1999 more than 2,400 Namibians crossed south into Botswana.{{cite web |url=http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Hornet/irin_21699c.html |title=NAMIBIA-BOTSWANA: Border tensions 1999.2.15 |publisher=UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA – AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |accessdate=2009-07-14}}

The Okavango Delta in Botswana is an area famous internationally for its birds and wildlife and an important source of tourist revenue, but depends on the Okavango River which flows from Angola via Namibia. In 1997 Namibia had been facing an extended drought and announced plans to divert water from the river, which threatened to become a serious issue between the two countries.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/stories/s384473.htm |title=Namibia / Botswana Water Wars |date=1997-09-09 |publisher=ABC |accessdate=2009-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080203034253/http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/stories/s384473.htm |archive-date=2008-02-03 |url-status=dead

Namibia has been critical of Botswana's "shoot to kill" policy against wildlife poachers. In 2015 and in 2020 several Namibians were killed as suspected poachers by the Botswanan military.

Diplomatic staff

Elisabeth Kakukuru, Namibia's high commissioner to Botswana

References

(11 November 2020). "Geingob engages Masisi on 'shoot to kill' policy". [[The Namibian]].
Endjala, Martin. (29 August 2025). "Diplomatic seats empty for now". [[The Namibian]].

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