Festus Mogae

"I observe in this Forum's founding document, and indeed also in the draft constitution of the regional body to which it is to be affiliated, recognition that journalists and media owners have a common duty to work to the highest professional standards and ethics."

"I never mentioned Mugabe or any president in my speech. I made the speech at a UN meeting last September. What I said is that I used to hold the same beliefs as my African counterparts with regards to LGBT issues but I have since been converted."

"The only country I mentioned at the UN meeting is South Africa which I said is the most liberal when it comes to issues concerning LGBT groups."

"I believe one of the secrets of our success has been our commitment to empowering all members of our society."

"And in this respect, we take special pride in our progress toward gender equality. According to the 2003 U.N. Human Development Report, Botswana was ranked 16th in the world in terms of total percentage of females serving as legislators, senior officials and managers. The combined figure for women occupying leadership positions in our country as of 2002 was 35 percent."

"The experts tell us that the effect of the HIV prevalence in our population would reduce our potential growth rate by one-and-a-half percentage points annually."

"In other words, whatever economic rate we achieve, it would be one-and-a-half percentage points less than what it would have been in absence of HIV."

"First, of course, we are teaching the A-B-Cs, abstain, be faithful and condomize."

"That's the method we have been preaching. But you might say that is an old fashioned, tired message, but we don't know any alternative to that. Over and above that, of course, we are in a position to provide anti-retroviral therapy to citizens without charge. We also have prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs in our alternative clinics."

"The government must always listen to the public and political pressures build up and respond in a considered manner and in the best interest of peace and stability of the country."

"Citizens, political parties, civil society organisations, election observers, media, law enforcement agencies, candidates and their functionaries."

"These stakeholders determine the credibility of the elections and their involvement is critical."

"I am appealing to all citizens of Gaborone, including the business community, to appeal to the council's cooperation. We should have a small and clean capital city, decorated with trees. Let it be our vision that by 2016 we will have planted trees all over the country."