Botswana has nominated Elias Magosi to take over from Tanzania’s Dr Stergomena Tax as SADC’s top boss when the latter’s term expires in August this year.
Magosi currently serves as the Permanent Secretary to the President and Head of the Botswana Public Service as well as Secretary to the Cabinet. That makes him the country’s highest ranking civil servant.
In explaining the moves Government Spokesman Andrew Sesinyi said Magosi had “a wealth of experience and the requisite leadership competencies in both the public and private sectors, as well as in international organisations to steer the SADC secretariat.”
Prior to being appointed Permanent Secretary to the President, Magosi served as Deputy Permanent Secretary to the President from May 2018 to February 2020.
“Magosi also served previously as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications, (December 2016 to February 2017); and the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, (March 2015 to November 2016). He also served as the Coordinator of Public Service Reforms, Office of the President, from January 2004 to February 2007,” added Sesinyi.
He pointed out that Magosi possessed comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the workings of SADC, having served as the Director of Human Resources and Administration at the bloc’s Gaborone headquarters from March 2017 to April 2018.
“At the private sector level, Magosi served as the Cluster Head of Human Resources, Consumer Banking, Southern Africa, at Standard Chartered Bank Botswana, from January 2013 to October 2014; and, Group Head of Human Resources, at Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited, from July 2010 to December 2012,” Sesinyi said.
Magosi holds a Masters of Organisation Development Degree from Bowling Green State University in the United States, a graduate diploma in Management Services from the University of Bolton in the United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics/Statistics from the University of Botswana.
Sesinyi said Botswana decided to field such a high profile candidate as a demonstration of the country’s commitment to the values and principles on which SADC was established.
“Botswana strongly holds the conviction that SADC is and will remain increasingly instrumental in the socio-economic and political development of the region,” said Sesinyi.
