Role of Foreign Policy Diplomatic Engagement in Promoting Development in Africa: a Case of Botswana

Abstract

is crucial to appreciate that Diplomatic engagement is taken very serious in considering the successful implementation of foreign policy aspirations of any given State. This research set out with the objective to establish the role of foreign policy diplomatic engagement in promoting development in Africa with reference. Therefore it is vital to be able to fully explain diplomatic engagement, so as to fully understand its role when it comes to the advancement of development aspirations in Africa. This study employed soft power was coined by Nye Joseph in the nineties; the big question how best States can achieve their foreign policy diplomatic engagement goal. This research utilized case study methods as a research design. This study utilized a mix of qualitative and quantitative data sources, that is, the primary data was collected using interview guide - the interview guide will be used with the target population that included key stakeholders in foreign policy and development issues. The main target populations for this study entailed experts from various subject matter fields; such as government ministries, government agencies, foreign affairs agencies, civil societies, and other foreign policy and development gurus in Africa particularly in Botswana. The data that was collected was analyzed through document and content analysis techniques, based on the key issues that were emerging during the research process. In seeking to understand the possible limitations of the study, the study research initially faced scant information from the Botswana perspective, but the researcher dug deeper for knowledge and was careful to avoid potential bias from respondents during the data collection process. This study found that Botswana has achieved a lot through foreign policy especially when it comes to foreign policy diplomatic, through the use of soft powers. The degree of a State’s soft power projection is determined by the extent to which its policies are embedded in fundamental values such as equality and liberty, Botswana’s core values such as democracy, humanity, free market, good governance, among others, are widely accepted and promoted by most States. When it came to the target research methodology, this study succeeded in getting the response of a total of twenty five respondents from the targeted study population. This study found that the concept of foreign policy diplomatic engagement is still a little unspecific to many respondents much as most seemed to be in general agreement, there was still a loose definition and varied understandings of this term, its use and application. This study illustrated that concept of foreign policy diplomatic engagement is and still remains poorly understood. This research further found three principle governmental institutions that make foreign policy can be identified as the presidency, parliament and the foreign affairs ministry. Using Soft power approaches, Botswana participates in diplomatic engagement with other States and international development partners through mutual cooperation in various capacities. This concludes that although a great many people are involved, directly or indirectly, in making policy, but implementation was mainly taken up by the executive. This study thus recommends that through foreign policy diplomatic engagement. This study further recommends a step a step up in diplomatic engagement in Botswana which will subsequently provide the right environment to help Africa develop.