1. Festus Gontebanye Mogae was born on 21 August 1939 and is a Motswana politician and economist who served as the third President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008.
13 Facts About Festus Mogae
1. 2.
Festus Mogae succeeded Quett Masire as President in 1998 and was re-elected in October 2004.
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Festus Mogae returned to Botswana to work as a civil servant before taking up posts with the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of Botswana.
4.
Festus Mogae served as the Minister of Finance from 1989 to 1998.
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Festus Mogae was Vice-President of Botswana from 1991 to 1998.
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Festus Mogae promised to tackle poverty and unemployment, as well as the spread of HIV-AIDS, which he pledged to stop in Botswana by 2016.
7.
On 14 July 2007, Festus Mogae affirmed his intention to resign nine months later.
8.
Festus Mogae stepped down as President on 1 April 2008 and was succeeded by Vice-President Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama.
9.
Festus Mogae would have been required to leave office in 2008 in any event; a constitutional amendment passed in 1997 limited the president to a total of 10 years in office, whether successive or separated.
10.
Festus Mogae currently serves as Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General on Climate Change.
11.
Festus Mogae currently serves as chairman of the Choppies supermarket group where he earned Pula 529,000 in 2011.
12.
In 2013, along with former President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania, Festus Mogae co-chaired a sustainable development symposium, hosted by the UONGOZI Institute in collaboration with Club de Madrid, organisation of which Mkapa was a member.
13.
Festus Mogae was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion d'honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on 20 March 2008 for his "exemplary leadership" in making Botswana a "model" of democracy and good governance.