This is a list of international presidential trips made by Duma Boko, the sixth and current President of Botswana, who has served since 1 November 2024.
Background
Duma Boko's international travel has received coverage from independent media since the beginning of his presidency. In February 2025, Mmegi reported on Boko's foreign travel during his first 100 days in office, discussing his diplomatic engagements in Zimbabwe, Belgium, Ghana and Tanzania, as well as the political and economic purposes of his international travel. However, because there are no reliable citations for these trips other than his Belgian trip, the first 100 days trips will not be included on the list.
Boko's foreign travel has also attracted political scrutiny. In February 2025, Botswana's Minister for International Affairs defended the president's international trips following criticism that the frequency of his travel could place a burden on the country's finances. Later that year, CAJ News reported that Boko faced criticism over his use of private foreign visits, with opposition figures calling for greater transparency concerning the trips and their purposes.
List
2024 CountryAreas visitedDate(s)NotesAntwerp25–28 NovemberAttended the FACETS 2024 diamond conference at the Antwerp World Diamond Centre and promoted Botswana's diamond industry.
2025 CountryAreas visitedDate(s)NotesAddis Ababa13–18 FebruaryAttended the African Union 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, as well as related high-level meetings on governance, economic development, trade and investment.Los Angeles, Washington, D.C.3–7 MarchWorking visit to the United States, including meetings in Washington, D.C. with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and representatives of the Corporate Council on Africa. Boko had originally been scheduled to attend the launch of Botswana's first satellite in Los Angeles.Nacala26–29 MarchWorking visit focused on economic cooperation, regional trade and strengthening bilateral relations with Mozambique.Pretoria27–29 AprilWorking visit at the invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa, during which Boko engaged with his South African counterpart.Lusaka1–2 AugustState visit during which Boko co-chaired the inaugural session of the Zambia–Botswana Bi-National Commission and served as Guest of Honour at the official opening of the 97th Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show. Several memoranda of understanding were signed in areas including agriculture, energy, transport, tourism and disaster risk management.Johannesburg3–5 SeptemberPrivate visit to South Africa.Dubai5–9 SeptemberWorking visit focused on high-level business meetings with potential investors and promoting Botswana as a destination for trade, investment and tourism.South Africa28 December 2025 – 7 January 2026Private external visit. During the visit, Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe served as Acting President of Botswana.
2026 CountryAreas visitedDate(s)NotesDubai2–6 FebruaryAttended the World Governments Summit 2026 and held bilateral engagements with leaders and officials, including representatives of Serbia, Antigua and Barbuda, and the UAE, to strengthen diplomatic and economic cooperation.Addis Ababa12–16 FebruaryAttended the African Union 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held under the theme "Water Security and Climate Resilience".Lyon, Paris6–9 AprilWorking visit to attend the One Health Summit in Lyon and hold bilateral talks with President Emmanuel Macron and French business leaders. The visit was Boko's first official visit to France.Madrid9 AprilWorking visit following his visit to France, focused on economic diplomacy and bilateral cooperation. Boko held talks with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.Harare21–23 AprilState visit during which Boko held bilateral talks with Zimbabwean officials.Durban16–17 AugustAttended the Southern African Development Community (SADC) 46th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Durban. The summit addressed regional integration, industrialisation, infrastructure development, agriculture, critical minerals, peace and security, and economic integration. Boko also held bilateral engagements on the sidelines of the summit.Luanda, Benguela7–9 SeptemberState visit during which Boko met with President João Lourenço, participated in the Angola–Botswana Economic Business Forum, and visited the Lobito Refinery.New York City19–26 SeptemberAttended the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. On 23 September, Boko and First Lady Kaone Boko attended an event co-hosted by De Beers and National Geographic during Climate Week NYC, marking the renewal of the Okavango Eternal partnership. On 24 September, he spoke at the Presidential Diamond Jubilee reception at Rockefeller Center, where he was interviewed by Time CEO Jessica Sibley and said demand for diamonds was recovering.
See also
Foreign relations of Botswana List of international presidential trips made by Mokgweetsi Masisi, his predecessor
References