Sir Ketumile Masire, Former President, Botswana, Southern Africa

Sir Ketumile Masire, former President of Botswana in Southern Africa and a renowned champion of human rights, will give a public address at the University of Connecticut on Tuesday, April 19, 2005 at 12:30 p.m. Botswana is reputed to have the best quality diamonds in the world and has been the most successful democratic country in Africa. Sir Ketumile Masire is second only to Nelson Mandela as the most respected statesman from Africa. During his tenure as president, he made his country a model and a thriving democracy in Africa. Sir Ketumile Masire who was Vice President became president in July 1980 after the death of the first president of the country, Sir Seretse Khama. Prior to his appointment as Vice President, he had served as Minister of Finance and Planning and was largely responsible for putting the country on a sound fiscal basis. In 1984 he won the presidential election with a landslide of 77% of the votes. Under his leadership, apart from nurturing and consolidating a culture of democratic pluralism, Botswana increased youth literacy rates (aged 15–24) for both men and women from 72% in 1980 to more than 85% in 1998. His other achievement is in the field of public health: Botswana is one of very few countries in the world that is committed to providing quality health care services to its entire population. Since his voluntary retirement form politics, he has been actively involved in facilitating conflict resolution and prevention in Africa. He has also continued to promote good governance and representative democracy, as well as capacity building for young African leaders. He remains the most respected former president, after Nelson Mandela, in Africa. In recognition of his exemplary and distinguished leadership, President Masire has been awarded many international prizes and titles. He has served as Chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and Co-Chairperson of the Global Coalition for Africa. In 1991, the British Government awarded him honorary Knighthood of the Grand Cross of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG). In 1995 the government of Namibia awarded him the Order of the Welwitschia; and in 1989 he won the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger. President Masire will talk about the state of human rights and democracy in Botswana and Africa.