Duma Gedion Boko, President of Botswana, said his country has been “blessed with the gift of diamonds”, which for decades has financed schools, hospitals and infrastructure.  Despite today’s fluctuating diamond markets, “our vision is clear,” he said, highlighting his country’s goals to diversity its economy, empower its people and build resilience.  He called on global partners to invest in renewable energy, technology, sustainable agriculture and value-added industries.  He also appealed to businesses, innovators and institutions to join Botswana in its “journey of transformation”.  

He described Botswana as a semi-arid country where people know the meaning of drought, the scarcity of water, withering crops under a relentless sun and “livelihoods eroded by forces beyond our control”.  As climate change is a “present reality”, Botswana has joined the Global Center on Adaptation, he said.  He called on Member States to scale up financing for climate adaptation, including water infrastructure, early warning systems and climate-smart agriculture. 

Earlier this year, Botswana faced an acute shortage of essential medicines, he recalled.  “This crisis exposed not only the vulnerabilities of our supply chains, but the wider inequities of the global health system".  “Access to medicines is a human right, not a privilege,” he underscored, calling on the UN, international financial institutions and the private sector to work with his country in building resilient health systems.  He also encouraged exploration of local production, regional supply hubs and fairer mechanisms “to ensure that no nation is left to face health emergencies alone”.

Describing himself as “one of the trumpet voices of Africa”, he lamented that the continent is “too often treated with affable indifference”. “Africa’s voice is not heard,” he emphasized, pointing out that “the United Nations cannot be truly international [...] until our continent – home to one-fifth of the population of the world – is afforded an equal voice at the highest body of this Organization”. Addressing the five permanent Council members, he declared: “It is time to make good on your promise to a continent – agree [to] a permanent seat on the UN Security Council for Africa – for 80 years the only continent without one”.