16 March 1970
I, Sir Seretse Khama, President of the Republic of Botswana, have the honour to declare on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Botswana, that it recognizes as compulsory ipso facto and without special agreement, on condition of reciprocity, the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 36 of the Statute of the Court.
This Declaration does not extend:
(a) to disputes in respect of which the parties have agreed or shall agree to have recourse to another means of peaceful settlement; or
(b) to disputes relating to matters which, by international law, are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of the Republic of Botswana.
The Government of the Republic of Botswana also reserves the right at any time, by means of a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and with effect as from the moment of such notification, either to add to, amend or withdraw any of the foregoing reservations, or any that may hereafter be added.
Done at Gaborone this 14th day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and seventy.
(Signed) Seretse M. KHAMA,
President.