The
Botswana Defence Force (BDF) is the
armyAn army An army An army (from Latin armata "armed (things)" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based Military of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
of
BotswanaThe Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Citizens of Botswana are called "Batswana" , regardless of ethnicity. Formerly a British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
. It was formed in 1977 and has approximately 12,000 members. , the commander is Lt. Gen.
Tebogo MasireTebogo Masire is the former deputy commanderand current commander of the Botswana Defence Force . He assumed the post on November 1, 2006, succeeding Lt. Gen. Louis Matshwenyego Fisher....
. The commander in chief is the President of Botswana. Being a landlocked country, Botswana has no
navyA navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
.
Following political changes in
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
and the region, the BDF's missions have increasingly focused on anti-
poachingPoaching is the illegal hunting, fishing, trapping, or eating of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws...
activities,
disasterA disaster is the tragedy of a natural or human-made hazard that negatively affects society or environment....
-preparedness, and foreign
peacekeepingPeacekeeping, as defined by the United Nations, is "a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace." It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
.
The
Botswana Defence Force (BDF) is the
armyAn army An army An army (from Latin armata "armed (things)" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based Military of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
of
BotswanaThe Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Citizens of Botswana are called "Batswana" , regardless of ethnicity. Formerly a British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
. It was formed in 1977 and has approximately 12,000 members. , the commander is Lt. Gen.
Tebogo MasireTebogo Masire is the former deputy commanderand current commander of the Botswana Defence Force . He assumed the post on November 1, 2006, succeeding Lt. Gen. Louis Matshwenyego Fisher....
. The commander in chief is the President of Botswana. Being a landlocked country, Botswana has no
navyA navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
.
History
Following political changes in
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
and the region, the BDF's missions have increasingly focused on anti-
poachingPoaching is the illegal hunting, fishing, trapping, or eating of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws...
activities,
disasterA disaster is the tragedy of a natural or human-made hazard that negatively affects society or environment....
-preparedness, and foreign
peacekeepingPeacekeeping, as defined by the United Nations, is "a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace." It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
. The United States has been the largest single contributor to the development of the BDF, and a large segment of its officer corps has received U.S. training.
The BDF consists of one armoured brigade, two infantry brigades, four infantry battalions, two armoured artillery, one engineer regiment and one commando regiment.
The
Botswana Defence Force Air WingThe Botswana Defence Force Air Wing is the air arm of the Botswana Defence Force.-Overview:The Air Wing was formed in 1977 and is organisationally part of the Botswana Defence Force....
is the
air forceAn air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps, is in the broadest sense, the national military that primarily conducts aerial warfare...
of Botswana and is organisationally part of the BDF.
Organization
Botswana Defence Force (includes Army and
Air WingThe Botswana Defence Force Air Wing is the air arm of the Botswana Defence Force.-Overview:The Air Wing was formed in 1977 and is organisationally part of the Botswana Defence Force....
), Botswana National Police
- Military age: 18 years of age
males age 18-49:
350,649 (2005 est.)
- Fit for military service:
males age 18-49:
136,322 (2005 est.)
- Reaching military age annually:
males:
21,103 (2005 est.)
Military education and training
IMET (
International Military Education and TrainingInternational Military Education and Training is the title of a United States security assistance program. This policies underlying this program are directed by the United States Department of State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs and the constituent projects are administered by the United...
) funds from the USA remain important to Botswana's officer training programme. Over 30 Botswana officers receive military training in the US each year; by 1999 approximately 85% of the BDF officers are said to have been trained under this system.
Military expenditures
$207.3 million (FY02), $61 million (FY99/00)
3.5% (FY02), 1.2% (FY99/00)
International cooperation
From 1998-99, 380 BDF soldiers formed part of a
Southern African Development CommunityThe Southern African Development Community is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. Its goal is to further socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 15 southern African states...
(SADC) task force to quell an internal uprising in
LesothoLesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave — entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over 30,000 km² in size with an estimated population of almost 1,800,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is the southernmost...
. Botswana withdrew its contingent when the situation was thought to be sufficiently stable not to require their presence. The BDF has also been successfully deployed as part of the UN peacekeeping operations in both Somalia and the Darfur region of Sudan.
http://www.irinnews.org/country.aspx?CountryCode=BW&RegionCode=SAF
External links
- Institute for Security Studies: Botswana Note: although generally a good source, this site wrongly describes Fisher as "Major General", and misspells his given name "Matshenwenyego".
- "Army Commander Accused Of Abuse" Mmegi Online
Mmegi is an English-language national newspaper in Botswana. Established in 1984, it is now published daily by Dikgang Publishing House in the capital, Gaborone. , Mmegi is Botswana's only independent newspaper to be published daily....
7 November 2005. Retrieved 25 February 2006. Example of correct title and spelling of commander's name.
- "THE BOTSWANA DEFENCE FORCE" Evolution of a professional African military