Festus Mogae

Festus Mogae
Born	Festus Gontebanye Mogae (1939-08-21) August 21, 1939 Serowe, Botswana
Occupation(s)	Economist, politician
Years active	1980–2008 (public service)
Known for	Third President of Botswana (1998–2008)

Festus Gontebanye Mogae (born 21 August 1939) is an economist and politician from Botswana who held the office of the third President of Botswana between 1998 and 2008. He took over from Quett Masire in 1998 and secured re-election in 2004. After serving for ten years, he voluntarily relinquished the presidency in 2008, with Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama succeeding him.

Early life

Mogae pursued his studies in economics at University College, Oxford and the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. Upon completing his education, he returned to Botswana to begin his career as a civil servant. He later held roles at the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of Botswana, where he was governor from 1980 to 1981. Between 1989 and 1998, he served as Botswana's Finance Minister, and from 1991 until his presidential appointment in 1998, he was Vice-President.

Presidency

Under Mogae's leadership, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) maintained its governing position following the October 1999 general election. He was officially inaugurated for a five-year term on 20 October 1999 by Chief Justice Julian Nganunu at the National Stadium in Gaborone. His administration prioritized addressing poverty and reducing unemployment rates.

Following another BDP win in the October 2004 general election, Mogae commenced a second term on 2 November 2004. During this period, he emphasized efforts to alleviate poverty, combat joblessness, and curb the spread of HIV-AIDS within Botswana by the year 2016.

On 14 July 2007, Mogae declared his plan to resign within nine months. He officially left office on 1 April 2008, with Vice-President Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama assuming the presidency. This transition was in accordance with a constitutional provision limiting presidents to a maximum tenure of ten years.

Post-presidency

After leaving office, Mogae took on the role of Special Envoy on Climate Change for the United Nations Secretary-General. In 2010, he became a member of the advisory board for US-based nonprofit organization TeachAids. Additionally, he chairs the Choppies supermarket chain, reporting earnings of Pula 529,000 in 2011.

In 2013, together with former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, Mogae co-led a sustainable development conference organized by the UONGOZI Institute and Club de Madrid, both institutions counting them as members.

Personal life

Festus Mogae married Barbara Mogae in 1967. The couple has three daughters named Nametso, Chedza, and Boikaego.

Honours and awards

In recognition of his exemplary leadership that positioned Botswana as a beacon of democracy and sound governance, Mogae was awarded the Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008.

His notable accolades include:

• Presidential Order of Honour of Botswana (1989)
• Officier de l’Ordre National de Côte d’Ivoire (1979)
• Honorary Doctor of Laws – University of Botswana (1998)
• I’Ordre Nationale du Mali and HATAB Award for contributions to Botswana’s tourism sector (1997)
• Global Marketplace Award from Corporate Council on Africa, USA (1999)
• Honorary Fellowship at Botswana Institute of Bankers (1999)
• Distinguished Achievement Award for AIDS Leadership from Medunsa Trust, USA (2000)
• AIDS Leadership Award presented by Harvard AIDS Institute (2001)
• Congressional Black Caucus Chairman's Award, USA (2002)
• Africa-America Institute National Leadership Award, USA (2002)
• Honorary Fellowship at University College Oxford (2003)
• Knight Commander of the Most Courteous Order of Lesotho (2004)
• Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative Leadership Award (2004)
• Golden Plate Award from Academy of Achievement, USA (2005)
• Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Campaign Award by African Union (2007)
• Doctorate of Humanity from University of Limkokwing, Botswana (2008)
• Commander of the Legion d’Honneur Grand Croix, France (2008)
• Taylor and Francis Award recognizing contributions to women's development (2008)
• Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from University of Southern California
• Croix, Madagascar’s highest national honour (2006)

In 2008, Mogae earned the prestigious Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, receiving US$5 million disbursed over ten years along with an annual lifetime stipend of US$200,000. At this event, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan commended Mogae’s stewardship that maintained Botswana’s stability amidst the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Other distinctions include the Naledi Ya Botswana order awarded in 2003 and several honors from the American Academy of Achievement. Since 2010, he has been a Trustee for the Rhodes Trust and was appointed as a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016.