Reimagining Botswana’s national security in light of Covid-19

Bibliographic Data

ID12337241
AuthorsLawrence Ookeditse (Russian State Agrarian Correspondence University, corresponding author)
Year2020
Volume29
Issue3
Pages267-279
Publication date2020-07-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAfrican Security Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1024-6029 • E-ISSN: 2154-0128
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10246029.2020.1806088
OpenAlexW3088155745
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited8

The Botswana national security complex is fashioned around traditional (military) threats to security. This is demonstrated through the National Security Act and also by the country's defense expenditure as a component of its GDP. Defense expenditure routinely takes the second largest share of GDP in Botswana. The outbreak of the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-COV-2) or COVID-19, however, suggests a relook at Botswana's national security towards none traditional security threats- in this case pandemics. The case for this is made clear by the evidently poor readiness to deal with possible mass infections both from a health budgetary perspective, and the availability of medical personal and equipment. This paper argues for securitisation of health care in Botswana- especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is possible through diversion of a portion current defense spending towards health care

Business · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Development economics · Disease · Economic growth · Economics · Health care · National security · Outbreak · Pandemic · Political science · Social security · Global Security and Public Health · HIV/AIDS Impact and Responses · Law · Medicine · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research · Virology

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