Botswana at 60 challenges the story of postcolonial African failure

This week, Botswana is celebrating 60 years of independence with festivities highlighting its remarkable transformation. In 1966, it was among the poorest countries in the world, with minimal infrastructure and few university graduates. Six decades later, it has become an upper-middle-income economy, with a GDP per capita of about $7,800 in 2025, surpassing South Africa, driven by sustained economic growth and significant public investments in education, infrastructure, and healthcare. Poverty has decreased, and most of the population now lives in urban areas, demonstrating an exceptional level of development.