1
REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA
MINISTRY FOR STATE PRESIDENT
DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
CLOSING REMARKS
BY THE ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR STATE PRESIDENT
AT THE OFFICIAL OPENNING
OF THE
AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION CONTINENTAL
CONSULTATION MEETING ON SYNTHETIC DRUG
SUPPLY REDUCTION
25th AUGUST 2025, GABORONE, BOTSWANA
2
Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers, Honourable Members of
Parliament, Representatives of the African Union and the United Nations,
Heads of Law Enforcement Agencies, Esteemed Partners, Distinguished
Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we conclude this landmark consultation, I extend my deepest
gratitude to all who have gathered here in Gaborone. Over the past
three days, we have witnessed the power of unity, the strength of
shared purpose, and the value of collective expertise in confronting one
of Africa’s most urgent challenges, the growing threat of synthetic drugs.
From the outset, our deliberations have been candid, focused, and
solutions-driven. We have examined the realities on the ground, from
the emergence of potent synthetic substances to the way transnational
criminal networks exploit our borders, our infrastructure, and our digital
spaces. We have considered the devastating impacts on our
communities, particularly our young people, and we have confronted the
undeniable truth: this is a fight that demands coordination, innovation,
and unyielding resolve.
3
Out of this consultation, several decisive actions emerge:
1. Strengthening national and regional legal frameworks to close the
loopholes traffickers exploit;
2. Expanding cross-border intelligence-sharing and joint operations,
acknowledging that traffickers disregard national boundaries;
3. Investing rigorously in capacity building for our law enforcement,
judiciary, customs, and health sectors to ensure full operational
readiness and resilience;
4. Grounding all interventions in robust data and evidence to
guarantee targeted, effective outcomes;
5. Engaging communities actively to bolster prevention, education,
and awareness, recognizing that enforcement alone cannot solve
this challenge.
For Botswana, this work is deeply personal. In 2023, we established the
Drug Enforcement Agency as our frontline institution in the fight against
illicit drugs. In just two years, the DEA has developed our National Drug
4
Control Master Strategy, engaged in advanced training with global
partners, initiated important legislative reforms, strengthened cross-
border cooperation, and conducted nationwide awareness campaigns to
empower our citizens.
Through these efforts, Botswana has learned that the fight against
synthetic drugs is not only about intercepting shipments or prosecuting
offenders. It is about safeguarding our national security, protecting
public health, and defending the future of our youth. It is about ensuring
that no criminal network can undermine the stability and progress of our
nations.
This consultation has shown that across Africa, we share not only the
challenges but also the determination to meet them. We have heard
innovative approaches from across the continent, from advanced
surveillance and investigative methods to new prevention models that
engage communities before the harm is done. These lessons will shape
our collective action in the months and years ahead.
5
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The traffickers we face are well-organised, well-financed, and adaptable.
Our response must be even more coordinated, better resourced, and
more determined. The bonds we have strengthened here in Gaborone
must now be transformed into concrete actions, actions that will
dismantle trafficking networks, protect our borders, and safeguard our
people.
Let the outcome of this consultation be a message to the world: Africa is
united, alert, and uncompromising in its determination to end the
synthetic drug threat. We will not allow our nations to become transit
points or markets for these dangerous substances.
On behalf of the Government and people of Botswana, I thank you for
your dedication, your partnership, and your trust in our country to host
this important gathering. I wish you safe travels as you return home,
and great success as we turn today’s commitments into tomorrow’s
results.
6
Let us go forward with one purpose and one voice: to protect our
people, secure our borders, and ensure that the next generation inherits
a safer and healthier Africa.
I thank you.
