Inside the ‘crystal ball’: Understanding the evolution of military in Botswana and the challenges ahead

The research paper analyzes the development of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF), arguing that the state was initially born without war-making capacity due to a preference for peace and fear of military coups. The BDF was eventually created in 1977 as a reactive response to regional instability and incursions by the Rhodesian government. The authors assess the BDF's professionalism, its challenges regarding the recruitment of women and the impact of HIV/AIDS, and the effectiveness of executive and parliamentary oversight. It concludes that while the BDF is professional and well-integrated into regional peacekeeping, it faces future challenges related to shrinking national resources and the need for a formal national security strategy.

• Botswana was established as a post-colonial state without an initial military, as leadership resisted its creation due to resource constraints, a preference for peace, and concerns over military coups.
• Civilian oversight of the BDF is characterized by a strong presidency where the president is commander-in-chief, but the lack of a dedicated defence bureaucracy may compromise administrative efficiency.

APA

Sharp, P., & Fisher, L. (n.d.). Inside the ‘crystal ball’: Understanding the evolution of military in Botswana and the challenges ahead. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/EVOLUTCHAP2.PDF

Chicago

Sharp, Paul, and Louis Fisher. Inside the ‘crystal ball’: Understanding the evolution of military in Botswana and the challenges ahead. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/EVOLUTCHAP2.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sharp |first1=Paul |last2=Fisher |first2=Louis |title=Inside the ‘crystal ball’: Understanding the evolution of military in Botswana and the challenges ahead |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/EVOLUTCHAP2.PDF |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sharpndinside, author = {Sharp, Paul and Fisher, Louis}, title = {{Inside the ‘crystal ball’: Understanding the evolution of military in Botswana and the challenges ahead}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/EVOLUTCHAP2.PDF}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }