# Tebelelo Seretse

Tebelelo Mazile Seretse was the first woman to serve as ambassador to the United States from Botswana (effective February 14, 2011). While a member of Parliament from 1999 - 2004, she had three Cabinet level positions: Acting Minister of Presidential Affairs, Minister of Trade and Industry, Wildlife and Tourism and Minister of Works, Transport and Communications.

## Quotes

* “If people had huge tenders, assets they must pay tax and declare where they are getting the assets”
** https://www.botswanaguardian.co.bw/news/itemlist/tag/Tebelelo%20Seretse.html BDP national campaign manager speaks,(18 July 2019)
* “because I thought the voice of women was not heard,” but also cautions that it is not an easy life. Candidates must often fund their own races, making financial security important. Women often get discouraged and quit politics,
** https://www.facebook.com/U.S.EmbassyGaborone/videos/tebelelo-seretses-first-experience-with-politics-came-when-she-was-a-law-student/583289205962649/.(30 march 2021)
* “Until and unless you change the constitution, that in the constitution you have a requirement that there must be equality at all levels, you are not going to get it right.”
** https://www.facebook.com/U.S.EmbassyGaborone/videos/tebelelo-seretses-first-experience-with-politics-came-when-she-was-a-law-student/583289205962649/ (30 March 2021)
* "You are either in chieftainship where there are certain laws and code of conduct such as being political because you are a chief for everybody or a politician"
** https://www.botswanaguardian.co.bw/news/item/4210-bdp-national-campaign-manager-speaks.html Botswana Guardian, BDP national campaign manager speaks, 18 July 2019, Retrieved 29 November 2021
* "There is no such thing as Africa. To continue talking about Africa clouds our academia"
** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbfUnGoutco Academy for Cutlural Diplomacy, "Emerging Africa: The Case of Botswana's Democracy", A Lecture by H.E. Amb. Tebelelo Mazile Seretse, Ambassador of Botswana to the United States, The International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in the USA 2012, "A Global Dialogue about Cultural Diplomacy, National Security and Global Risks" ,National Public Radio Headquarters (Washington D.C, June 26th, 2012) Retrieved 29 November 2021
* "Botswana is the most peaceful country on the African continent"
** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbfUnGoutco Academy for Cutlural Diplomacy, "Emerging Africa: The Case of Botswana's Democracy", A Lecture by H.E. Amb. Tebelelo Mazile Seretse, Ambassador of Botswana to the United States, The International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in the USA 2012, "A Global Dialogue about Cultural Diplomacy, National Security and Global Risks" ,National Public Radio Headquarters (Washington D.C, June 26th, 2012) Retrieved 29 November 2021
* "I never want any woman to put herself down"
** https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/ambassador-botswana-talks-democracy-within-africa/ The Michigan Daily, Botswana ambassador talks relations overseas, By Hillary Crawford, Daily Staff Reporter, June 18, 2014, Retrieved 29 November 2021
* "Sometimes when I look at all the good that Rwanda is doing following the genocide, I think it is because they have women (in political office)"
** https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/ambassador-botswana-talks-democracy-within-africa/ The Michigan Daily, Botswana ambassador talks relations overseas, By Hillary Crawford, Daily Staff Reporter, June 18, 2014, Retrieved 29 November 2021
* "We need to move away from just talking about democracy---we need to talk about participation in democrary"
** https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/ambassador-botswana-talks-democracy-within-africa/ The Michigan Daily, Botswana ambassador talks relations overseas, By Hillary Crawford, Daily Staff Reporter, June 18, 2014, Retrieved 29 November 2021
* "From Botswana point of view we were democratic before we became independent"
*** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbfUnGoutco Academy for Cutlural Diplomacy, "Emerging Africa: The Case of Botswana's Democracy", A Lecture by H.E. Amb. Tebelelo Mazile Seretse, Ambassador of Botswana to the United States, The International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in the USA 2012, "A Global Dialogue about Cultural Diplomacy, National Security and Global Risks" ,National Public Radio Headquarters (Washington D.C, June 26th, 2012) Retrieved 29 November 2021

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tebelelo_Seretse