Botswana’s ruling party BDP has ordered its leader and 2024 Presidential candidate Mokgweetsi Masisi to slow down on his international travels.
Since his first trip outside the country in February this year, President Masisi has been away for a total number of 48 days. He has covered a distance of approximately 111,680km.
Below is a breakdown of Masisi’s trips outside the country, so far.
February 16 President Masisi leaves for the Sixth Africa-EU Summit to be held in Brussels, Belgium from February 17 to 18. The geographical distance (airline route) between Gaborone and Brussels is 8,655km (5,378 miles).
February 24 President Masisi leaves for Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe where he will participate in the Third Session of the Botswana-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission, on February 25. The flight between Victoria Falls and Gaborone covers a distance of around 719km.
March 2 President Masisi leaves for Nairobi, Kenya for the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations Environment Programme. The flight between Gaborone and Nairobi covers a distance of around 2,841km.
March 5 President Masisi leaves Kenya at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the morning and arrives in Botswana in the afternoon.
March 11 Masisi leaves to officiate at the Botswana National Day activities at the Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The flight between Gaborone and Dubai covers a distance of around 6,339km.
March 16 Masisi arrives in Gaborone from the Dubai Expo.
April 22 President Masisi jets off to Pretoria, South Africa for the Fifth Session of the South Africa-Botswana Bi-National Commission. Masisi returns on the same day. Flight distance between Gaborone and Pretoria is 262 km.
May 8 Masisi leaves Gaborone for Cape Town, South Africa where he participates in the Mining Indaba Conference from May 9 to 12. The flight between Gaborone and Cape Town is around three hours 52 minutes and covers a distance of around 1,264 km.
May 11 President Masisi returns from Cape Town where he attended the Investing in Africa Mining Indaba 2022.
May 20 Masisi arrives in Geneva, Switzerland for the 75th World Health Assembly, which will be held under the theme ‘Health for Peace, Peace for Health’. A fire accident in the Geneva airport affects presidential jet OK 1 but the President is said to be safe. The flight between Gaborone and Geneva covers a distance of around 8,121km.
May 31 Masisi arrives in Stockholm, Sweden for the Stockholm 50+ commemoration. The flight distance from Geneva (Switzerland) to Stockholm (Sweden) is 1,660km.
June 5 Masisi arrives home after completing a working visit in Switzerland where he attended the World Health Assembly, the World Economic Forum, and Sweden where he attended the Stockholm 50+ UN meeting. The flight time between Stockholm and Gaborone covers a distance of around 9,392 km.
June 22 Masisi leaves for Kigali, Rwanda where he participates in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2022) on June 23–25. The distance between Gaborone and Kigali is 2,564 km.
June 26 Following his participation at CHOGM, the President undertakes a Working Visit to Austria and Belgium from June 26 to 28. Masisi returns to Gaborone on June 29. The total straight-line flight distance from Kigali, Rwanda to Vienna, Austria is 5,714km. The flight distance from Vienna to Brussels is 915 km. The flight between Brussels and Gaborone covers a distance of around 8,650 km.
July 10 Masisi participates in the 2022 United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, on July 11–14 in New York. Distance from Gaborone to New York is approximately 12,540km.
July 18 Masisi left for Morocco where he participates in the 14th US-Africa Business Summit from July 19 to 22, in Marrakech. The flight between Gaborone and Marrakech covers a distance of around 7,212km.
