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He led the southern African nation for a decade and embraced a flagship American aid program credited with helping to eradicate the country’s AIDS epidemic.

Festus Mogae in 2004, during his decade as president of Botswana. He fought the country’s H.I.V./AIDS crisis and presided over robust economic growth because of diamond production. Credit... Joao Silva for The New York Times

Yvonne Mooka and John Eligon

Yvonne Mooka reported from Gaborone, Botswana, and John Eligon from Johannesburg.

May 8, 2026 Updated 3:49 p.m. ET

Festus G. Mogae, a former president of Botswana who was celebrated for leading that diamond-rich African nation out of a searing H.I.V. and AIDS crisis, in part by embracing a flagship American aid program, died on Friday in Botswana. He was 86.

His death was announced by the country’s current president, Duma Boko, who said in a televised address that Mr.…