Botswana’s former head of state Festus Mogae has died at the age of 86, President Duma Boko has announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Today Botswana mourns a distinguished statesman and patriot whose life was devoted to the service of his country,” Boko announced, adding that Mogae died early on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The former president, who led Botswana from 1998 to 2008, had been in ill health for some time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a statement last month, the government said he was receiving medical care at a hospital in the capital, Gaborone, without disclosing the nature of his illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mogae, the country’s thrid president, is widely credited with strengthening Botswana’s economic management and governance systems during a period of rapid growth driven by diamond revenues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before assuming the presidency, he held senior positions in government including finance minister and later vice-president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He is also widely credited with steering Botswana’s response to the HIV\/Aids epidemic. At the time, his country had one of the world’s worst infection rates, but an ambitious antiretroviral treatment programme significantly reduced infection and mortality rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even after leaving office, he remained an advocate for HIV\/Aids treatment in the region, pushing for free antiretroviral therapy and measures to prevent mother-to-child transmission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was subsequently involved in various international advisory and peace mediation roles across the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2008, Mogae won the the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership – one of the most prestigious honours for African governance – recognising his democratic leadership and peaceful transfer of power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mogae was succeeded as president by Ian Khama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Botswana is one of Africa’s most politically stable countries – it has never had a coup and has had regular multi-party elections since independence in 1966.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The government said he was receiving medical care at a hospital in the capital, Gaborone, without disclosing the nature of his illness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12616,"featured_media":801142,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[57342,57341,57339,57340,57344,57343],"coauthors":[9115],"class_list":["post-801141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa","tag-botswana-news-today","tag-duma-boko-announcement","tag-festus-mogae-death","tag-festus-mogae-dies-aged-86","tag-former-botswana-president","tag-ian-khama-successor"],"yoast_head":"\n