The U.S. Embassy was dismayed by Sunday Standard’s flagrant mischaracterization of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s activities in Botswana. The United States through USAID has been a key development partner with Botswana since the 1970s. Over the years, USAID programs in Botswana have supported poverty eradication, rural development, economic growth, and conservation.
Since 2003, USAID has worked through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), to achieve an AIDs-free Generation here in partnership with the government and people of Botswana. The Sunday Standard’s May 11 cover story on USAID was inaccurate and unprofessional.
Unfortunately, the U.S. Embassy was never consulted for comment. Had we been, we would have explained that there are different categories of employment within the United States Government, and that the information contained on the USAID website cited in the article does not apply to employees hired overseas, whether they are Americans or non-Americans. Second, we would have pointed out, as the website cited by the article does, that “information about USAID’s development and humanitarian assistance is intentionally open and public.” Third, we would have noted that the quote cited from the Washington Post referred to activities that occurred in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, which was over fifty years ago, and that it had nothing to do with Botswana in the 21st century.
The May 11 article failed to uphold a core principle of journalism: verification of the facts. Unfortunately, the article is nothing more than unfounded speculation and innuendo. USAID and its employees, as friends of Botswana, deserve better. Sunday Standard readers, and Batswana in general, deserve better too. We call on the Sunday Standard to publish our response in its next publication.
Public Affairs Section U.S. Embassy, Gaborone, Botswana
