When President Ian Khama assumed office in 2008 there was an apparent shift in Botswana’s foreign policy away from a policy informed by realpolitik to one that is more aggressively condemnatory of undemocratic practices and human rights abuses abroad. Since then Botswana has regularly been amongst the first countries, and sometimes the only African country, to denounce ‘rogue states’ or call for censure of some governments and political leaders that stand accused of human rights abuses and undemocratic conduct. It is one of the most ardent supporters of the International Criminal Court (ICC) despite growing skepticism about the court amongst African countries. This is an unusual stance for an African country to take, particularly one as small and as vulnerable as Botswana. African countries generally eschew any foreign policy posture that might be seen as encouraging interference in the internal affairs of other countries. This article examines Botswana’s attempt in the past five years or so since Khama’s ascendance to the presidency to follow an ethical foreign policy, the role leadership orientation of the President may have had in shaping it, as well as its consequences.

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