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Botswana President Ian Khama named 2013 Global Visionary
Botswana President Ian Khama. PHOTO/File
Botswana President Ian Khama has been named a 2013 Global Visionary at this year’s annual Conde Nash Visionaries Dinner held in New York.
Khama was picked with seven other ‘remarkable global citizens’ for his contribution towards sustainable development and conservation.
The list also includes Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto, credited for fighting hunger and corruption in his country and Dr Greg Allgood, founder of Procter & Gamble’s Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program.
In a press release, the organizers hailed the Botswana president as an “independent thinker who is committed to developing his country sustainably”.
They also credited President Khama for successfully hosting the 2012 Summit for Sustainability in Africa.
“His administration, which is recognized by Transparency International as the least corrupt in Africa, is piloting pan-African efforts to monitor and safeguard water, minerals, and wildlife – all of which are crucial to future conservation efforts,” read the statement.
This year’s edition of the awards also included the ‘World Saver’ category which recognized Botswana’s efforts to promote sustainable development in tourism. The Government of Botswana was picked for the award, the organizers said, because of its continued efforts to ensure the environmental integrity of the Okavango Delta.
The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta and situated in an extremely arid region attracts great concentrations of diverse animals and birds. Both awards were collected by Khama’s brother, Tshekedi Khama, who attended the event.
In 2012, President Khama was awarded a lifetime honorary membership for his ‘life-long commitment to the environment’ at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) awards.
Source: Newsires