Gaborone (Diplomat.so) - Duma Gideon Boko, President of Botswana, said during a military event in Gaborone on Tuesday, 26 May, that the Botswana Defence Force had earned regional respect through decades of peacekeeping service, including its deployment to Somalia under United Nations missions during the 1990s.
Speaking before senior military officers, veterans, and government officials, Boko praised the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) for what he described as its longstanding contribution to regional peace and stability.
"Over decades, the Botswana Defence Force has played a pivotal role in safeguarding peace and stability not only in Botswana, but across the region,” Boko said during the ceremony. "Through resilience, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to duty, the men and women in uniform continue to serve with honor and patriotism, a dedication that truly deserves our applause and appreciation.”
President Recalls Somalia Mission
During his remarks, Boko reflected on Botswana’s participation in the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) in the 1990s, recounting what he described as a significant encounter involving forces loyal to late Somali faction leader Mohamed Farah Aidid.
"The Botswana Defence Force has earned such applause for many years, and this is not something that began recently,” Duma Gideon Boko said. "I remember a first close encounter with the Botswana Defence Force. Our forces had been deployed to Somalia, in a place called Baidoa, where Mohamed Farah Aidid was terrorizing civilians.”
He told attendees that earlier international contingents had faced difficulties before Botswana troops arrived in the area.
"Legend has it that the moment they arrived, Aidid’s forces tested them,” Boko said. "The response from the Botswana Defence Force was coordinated and formidable, and it subdued the onslaught and earned the respect of the local population in Baidoa.”
The speech was delivered during the BDF Strategic Conference 2026, an important platform for reflection, accountability, and strengthening the future readiness of the armed forces. Hundreds of attendees, including serving officers and retired personnel, applauded portions of the president’s address.
Botswana Defence Force Deployment Scope
MP Abdullahi Aden Ahmed (Black), who serves in the House of the People of the Federal Parliament of Somalia, stated that only forces from France, Australia, and India were deployed in Baidoa, the capital of Somalia’s Bay region, during the United Nations mission period.
He rejected claims that Botswana Defence Force units were stationed in Baidoa, saying there is no official confirmation or documented record of Botswana troops establishing a base in the city during the operation.
Nur Awale, a former armed fighter aligned with forces loyal to Jen. Mohamed Farah Aidid, said the Botswana contingent under the United Nations mission was relatively small and lightly equipped. He stated they were armed with AK-47 rifles and Browning .50 caliber machine guns, and operated mainly using pickup vehicles rather than heavy armored units. He added that they did not deploy tanks, armored personnel carriers, or helicopters.
He further stated that the unit maintained a small presence near the Danwadaagaha Junction in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, close to the international airport, and was rarely targeted due to its lighter armament compared to other forces operating in the area.
Eyewitness Diriye Aden recounted an incident in which a Botswana convoy moving near Digfeer Hospital in Mogadishu was reportedly surrounded by armed militia forces. He stated that the troops were disarmed and later allowed to continue on foot toward the airport.
He further said that residents observed the soldiers moving without weapons, with their hands raised, as they passed through areas near what was then known as National Tribune Square, a central public space used for military displays and public gatherings during Somalia’s former government era.
Aden added that the contingent eventually withdrew from Somalia in late 1995 in an orderly departure without weapons.
The Botswana Defence Force contributed approximately 500 personnel to United Nations Operation in Somalia I (1992–1993) and UNOSOM II (1993–1995). The mission focused on securing humanitarian relief corridors, protecting aid distribution, and supporting stabilization efforts during Somalia’s civil war.
UNOSOM Mandate
The United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) was established in the early 1990s in response to Somalia’s escalating civil war, state collapse, and severe humanitarian crisis.
UNOSOM I (1992–1993) was mandated to monitor ceasefire arrangements in Mogadishu and facilitate the secure delivery of humanitarian aid during a period of widespread famine and insecurity.
UNOSOM II (1993–1995) expanded the mission into a more robust peace enforcement and state-support operation, tasked with restoring stability, supporting disarmament efforts, and assisting in rebuilding governance structures under highly volatile security conditions across multiple regions of Somalia.
Full List of Contributing Countries to UNOSOM
UNOSOM was supported by a broad international coalition of troop and police-contributing countries, reflecting one of the most diverse United Nations peacekeeping efforts of its time.
Participating states included Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
These countries deployed military units and police personnel to perform a range of operations, including escorting humanitarian convoys, securing relief distribution points, and supporting UN coordination efforts in an environment marked by fragmented authority and ongoing armed conflict.
