European Union

The Delegation of the European Union in Botswana is part of the European Union External Action Service, and is one of the more than 135 Delegations around the world. The Delegation has the status of a diplomatic mission and officially represents the European Union in Botswana and SADC.

The Delegation was opened in 1981 for purposes of cooperation with Botswana and in 1991 acquired a regional role with SADC. Botswana had already signed the first Lomé Convention in 1975. Since then, through the four subsequent Lomé Conventions and the current Cotonou Partnership Agreement, the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states and the EU have established a durable and dynamic partnership.

The Delegation has played a prominent role in managing EU development assistance to Botswana covering areas such as wildlife conservation, infrastructure development, micro-projects, and mining sector diversification. Botswana has, since Lomé 1, benefited from preferential trade opportunities including the Beef Protocol. Since 2008 Botswana benefits from duty and quota free exports into the EU market under the Market Access Regulation

The focal area of cooperation with Botswana is now on Human Resources Development. The 10th EDF (2008 – 2013) amounts to approximately €84 million and is channeled to the Botswana government as budget support.
The Delegation plays an essential role in providing information on the policies and institutions of the EU. In doing so, the Delegation works closely with Member States' Embassies in Botswana and participates actively in the donor coordination with the Government of Botswana and SADC.

Since the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1st December 2009, the Delegation has a stronger political role in addition to its trade and development roles. This includes Common Foreign and Security Policy. Moreover, the Delegation plays an important and ever growing role in regional integration and trade issues, in particular in relation to the negotiations between the EU and a limited number of SADC member states over trade arrangements under Economic Partnership Agreements.