Sir Ketumile Masire is a Batswana politician, who served as Botwana’s second president for 18 years until his resignation in 1998. He was a prominent player in Botswana’s transition to independence and a leading figure in the establishment of the Botswana Democratic Party, the party he led as president.

During his period in office, Sir Masire was a vocal opponent of apartheid in South Africa and has been involved more recently in diplomatic initiatives in a number of African countries including Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Lesotho. He has played a crucial role in Botswana’s economic and social development, shifting the country away from its economic dependence on South Africa and helping to create domestic industries and make Botswana a place of choice for foreign investors.

In 2007, Sir Masire set up the Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation to promote the social and economic well-being of the society of Botswana. The Foundation strives to facilitate and drive efforts to promote peace, good governance and political stability internationally, to assist children living with life-long disabilities, and to promote innovation in agriculture.