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The Embassy of Botswana in Berlin |
Contact
Address: Altensteinstrasse 48A, D-14195 Berlin
Tel.: +49 30 8871 950 10
Fax: +49 30 8871 950 12
E-mail: info@embassyofbotswana.de
The Ambassador
H.E. John-Thomas Dipowe
His Excellency John-Thomas Dipowe was appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Botswana to the Federal Republic of Germany on 14 February 2024. A seasoned diplomat with over 30 years of service in the public sector, Ambassador Dipowe brings extensive experience in foreign affairs and government communications.
Prior to his current posting, Ambassador Dipowe held several key positions within the Botswana government. From 1990, he served as a Foreign Affairs Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 1993 and 2009, he was assigned to Botswana's Embassies in Washington, D.C., USA, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. While in Addis Ababa, he also served as Senior Political Advisor to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
In Botswana, he served as Deputy Senior Private Secretary to the Vice President from 2009 to 2012, and as Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2014. Subsequently, he was appointed Head of Secretariat for the Presidential Inspectorate Task Team in the Office of the President from 2016 to 2018. He then served as Permanent Secretary for Government Communications and Information Systems in the Office of the President until his appointment as Ambassador to Germany.
Ambassador Dipowe holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Political Sociology from Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. He is fluent in Setswana and English.
Born on 10 May 1964, Ambassador Dipowe is married.
History
Botswana and the Federal Republic of Germany have maintained cordial relations since the establishment of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1974. The presence of a resident German Embassy in Gaborone has contributed highly to the growth of bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of Wildlife, Geological Survey, HIV/AIDS, and Vocational Education.
As a country of considerable economic stability and a well established democratic tradition, Botswana is an important pillar in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Botswana has been classified as “Middle-Income-Country” due to its unique development achievements within the Sub-Sahara region. The German development cooperation mainly focuses on the integration process of SADC.
Reciprocal high-level visits have strengthened the bilateral political dialogue. Former Botswana President, Festus Mogae, visited Germany several times and former German President, Horst Köhler, was in Botswana on a state visit in April 2006. The two statesmen met again at the 2nd forum of the Partnership for Africa Initiative in in January 2007.
