1 INTRODUCTION

The project team visited Botswana over the period 28 October to 29 October 1996. The survey of Botswana’s peacekeeping training capacity had been scheduled to take place from 29-30 October 1996. These dates were confirmed with the OAU Secretariat by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Botswana, via Note No. 8/96 E XIX (44) G4, dated 16 October 1996. It was arranged that the OAU survey team would be met by officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs upon arrival in Gaberone, and provided with a programme for the survey. However, this was not to materialise. The scope and depth of the Botswana survey is thus limited to the information which could be gleaned during a one-hour session with the Director of Operations and Training of the Botswana Defence Force.

2 SCOPE

The report on peacekeeping training in the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) as presented to the survey team is presented as follows:

3 BACKGROUND: BOTSWANA’S PARTICIPATION IN PEACE OPERATIONS

Botswana has contributed to the following peace operations:

4 THE BDF TRAINING SYSTEM

The BDF conducts basic recruit training and officer cadet training through its own training institutions. For specialist training, the BDF sends select personnel to a variety of African and non-African military training institutions, in accordance with bilateral agreements. For example, BDF officers have undergone command and staff training, amongst others, at the staff colleges of Egypt, Kenya, UK and Zimbabwe.

5 PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRAINING FOR PEACE OPERATIONS

Once the BDF has agreed to provide a troop contingent for a particular peace operation, an appropriate composite unit is assembled from various elements of the BDF. Once the marrying-up process is complete, the designated unit commander is responsible for refresher training in basic military skills such as weapon-handling, musketry, navigation, etc. The unit commander is also responsible for a UN mission orientation training package of three to four weeks, which includes:

6 BACKGROUND UN TRAINING

The BDF does not conduct a programme of UN background training for peace operations as part of the formal BDF training curriculum. However, a number of officers attend command and staff courses at foreign military colleges which do indeed present a UN package. In addition, the BDF accepts most invitations to foreign and international peacekeeping seminars and courses. The information and experience thus gained is utilised in the orientation and preparation of BDF elements for participation in peace operations. By utilising the available berths at other command and staff colleges, the BDF benefits from the existing capacity of other armed forces, and the experience of the host-country and foreign officers participating in such courses. As the awareness and orientation of officers thus trained permeates throughout the BDF, it is foreseen that a UN background training package may be introduced as part of the training curriculum for officer cadets.

7 REMARKS BY DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND TRAINING

The BDF experience in past UN peace operations indicates a need for improved rules of engagement which allow for a much greater degree of initiative at all levels of command. This is especially true when the belligerents do not respect the mandate of the peacekeeping force, and the peacekeepers become the object of forceful resistance to the implementation of their mandate (as in Somalia).

The exact nature of the mandate (Chapter VI or VII) is not as critical as the need to provide peacekeepers with the appropriate means for its implementation (equipment, weapons, and realistic rules of engagement).