The Department is responsible for promoting relations between Botswana and the countries of Asia and the Pacific, as well as partnerships such as the Tokyo International Conference on the Development of Africa (TICAD) and the China - Africa Forum (FOCAC). The Department plays a strategic role in advancing and defending the interests of Botswana in Asia and the Pacific region, mainly targeting promotion of tourism, trade and investment, as well as seeking development and technical assistance.

The activities of the Department are critical in redefining relations with this region to emphasize economic diplomacy, particularly in this era of reduced development assistance from Botswana’s traditional cooperating partners in Western countries, who have refocused their development assistance to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), since Botswana attained middle income status.