Ambassador Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, Botswana’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, is Botswana’s candidate for the position of Director-General of the OPCW’s technical secretariat.
This candidacy reflects Botswana’s strong commitment to international peace, disarmament, and multilateral cooperation.
Ambassador Masire-Mwamba is a seasoned diplomat and accomplished leader, bringing more than three decades of experience across diplomacy, law, science, and development. Her track record, built on integrity and results, aligns with the core mission of the OPCW.
A Leadership Rooted in Values, Shaped by Tradition
“I come from a country where dialogue is the first response, not the last resort,” Ambassador Masire-Mwamba reflects. “Our traditions teach us that peace is not just the absence of conflict, it’s the presence of conversation, even when views diverge.”
Her leadership philosophy is deeply influenced by Botswana’s enduring model of inclusive governance. From the village-level kgotla system where every voice, no matter how small, has space to the nation’s commitment to diplomacy over dominance, she has absorbed a worldview that sees listening as strength and consensus as strategy.
In global diplomacy, where trust is fragile and stakes are high, she brings a grounded, culturally rich perspective: that durable peace is built through agreements and mutual respect and understanding that precede them. This ethos defines her leadership as principled, transparent, and committed to fairness.
A Future-Focused Vision
Ambassador Masire-Mwamba envisions an OPCW fit for the future: resilient, representative, and responsive to today’s complex security landscape. Her approach focuses on strengthening the organisation’s core mandate while fostering greater inclusion, transparency, and technological readiness.
If elected, she would be the first African, and the first woman to serve as Director-General, marking a powerful step towards greater diversity in international leadership. In this complex and rapidly changing environment with evolving geopolitical challenges, her priorities and areas of focus would be:
- Promoting the Universality of CWC signatories, to ensure a holistic and global commitment to the prohibition of chemical weapons, with outreach and renewed focus.
- Adopting enhanced technologies to validate ongoing Monitoring and Verification through stakeholder engagement, requisite access and adequate resources.
- Ensure Outreach and Representation at all levels to ensure that the OPCW reflects its membership and that all interests are addressed fairly, openly, and transparently with the requisite sensitivity.
- Harness Artificial Intelligence, Data analytics and other emerging Technologies to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the OPCW.
- Leadership, Oversight, and Governance to ensure that the Technical Secretariat’s expertise and mandate are delivered to the highest professional standards.
Strategic Oversight, Global Governance
Ambassador Masire-Mwamba has held senior leadership roles in some of the world’s most respected multilateral institutions. As Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth from 2008-2014, she played a central role in strategic planning, oversight, and institutional governance across 54 member states. Her responsibilities extended to chairing high-level diplomatic groups such as the OACPS Crisis Working Group of Ambassadors and serving as Vice Chair of the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) Strategic Framework Committee.
These roles demanded not only political acuity and executive leadership, but also the ability to navigate complex negotiations and broker consensus in sensitive geopolitical contexts.
A Leader with Scientific and Technological Insight
Beyond diplomacy, she brings a strong foundation in science and technology. Trained as a telecommunications practitioner with a BSc in electronics and physics from the University of London, Ambassador Masire-Mwamba has long maintained a professional interest in the ethical implications of emerging technologies. Her scientific literacy positions her to actively engage in technical policy discussions, particularly relevant in the context of chemical weapons, where developments in science and dual-use technologies require informed, vigilant leadership.
Her academic credentials spanning science, business (MBA from the University of Pittsburgh), and law (LLB from the University of South Africa) offer a rare interdisciplinary blend. This triad of expertise equips her with the tools to understand the OPCW’s technical mission, the legal frameworks that underpin its work, and the management principles required to lead a diverse international organisation. With additional specialized training programmes throughout her career, she brings both depth and adaptability an essential combination for today’s global leadership challenges.
