Mogae wins Mo Ibrahim Prize

Published: 01 December, 2008

POLITICS

Former president of Botswana Festus Mogae was awarded the second Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership in a ceremony in Alexandria, Egypt. Mr Mogae was cited for his successes in expanding the Botswanan economy and in reducing the country’s HIV/Aids rate.

The eponymous Mo Ibrahim prize is given to a democratically-elected African head of government who leaves power peacefully, according to their nation’s constitution. Supported by the Sudanese telecoms billionaire’s charitable foundation, the prize consists of $5m over 10 years, with a subsequent $200,000 per year for the remainder of the winner’s life. Aimed at improving governance and promoting smooth transitions of power between leaders that have historically marred many countries’ political landscapes, the cash prize offers an alternative to the corruption the previous generation’s leaders saw as a retirement plan. The award was first made in 2007, to Mozambique’s Joachim Chissano.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Mr Ibrahim said, “Botswana is a success story we need to tell the world about. We only hear about African failed states, it’s time to hear about African success stories.”

There is a considerable difference between the situations inherited by the 2007 and 2008 winners. Mr Chissano came to power in Mozambique during the country’s civil war, and won praise for his peacemaking. He chose not to run for a third term in 2005, even though the constitution would have allowed it.

Botswana, by contrast, has the highest GDP per capita on the continent, with a strong diamond industry and growth in tourism and agriculture. Mr Mogae’s post-colonial predecessors, Quett Masire and Seretse Khama, led the country in a period of stability and persistent economic growth. HIV/Aids rates were, however, among the highest on the continent, and the economy was threatened by its dependence on the diamond trade. The Mogae government spent heavily on infrastructure and education to broaden the economy. While HIV rates remain above 30 percent, they are, for the first time, declining.

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