( CNN ) -- The president of Botswana has invited the internationally recognized president of Ivory Coast , Alassane Ouattara , for an official state visit , the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Botswana announced Wednesday . President Seretse Khama Ian Khama has discussed the visit with Ouattara , the ministry said in a statement , and the two leaders `` agreed that the visit should take place at a mutually convenient time . '' But it 's not clear when that time may come , since Ouattara is virtually blocked inside the Golf Hotel in Abidjan , Ivory Coast , by troops sent by Laurent Gbagbo , who claimed the presidency after the November 28 runoff . While an independent electoral commission declared Ouattara the winner , the country 's Constitutional Council invalidated the results in some provinces and proclaimed that Gbagbo , the incumbent president , had won . Gbagbo is refusing to step down . `` Botswana continues to support all efforts aimed at ensuring that Ouattara assumes the presidency in Cote d'Ivore , '' the ministry statement said , using the French name for the country . Immediately after the election in Ivory Coast , Botswana joined the African Union , the United Nations , the European Union and the United States in endorsing Ouattara as the winner of the disputed presidential elections . At the time , Khama 's government called upon all political entities , including the Constitutional Council of Ivory Coast , to respect the decision of the Independent Electoral Commission in declaring Ouattara the rightful winner of the elections . `` The government of Botswana is deeply concerned about African leaders who reject elections results that are not in their favour . `` Such actions not only deny people the right to have leaders of their choice , but also thwart efforts to maintain peace and security on the African continent , '' the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation says . Botswana took similar actions two years ago after controversial parliamentary and presidential elections in neighboring Zimbabwe , declaring that Robert Mugabe was not democratically elected and saying it would not recognize him as that country 's leader . Botswana officials also vowed not to attend any AU or Southern African Development Community ( SADC ) meetings if Mugabe was invited . However , the government of Botswana softened its stance after Mugabe and his rival , Morgan Tsvangirai , formed a national unity government to ease Zimbabwe 's economic and political predicament . Botswana also did not recognise the leadership of Andry Rajoelina , after he was sworn in early last year as the transitional president of Madagascar . The government of Botswana issued a statement saying the former disc jockey and mayor of Madagascar 's capital should hand over power to the constitutionally elected leader Marc Ravalomanana . Rajoelina and his military-led supporters forced Ravalomanana to step down , and although Rajoelina entered into a power-sharing agreement , it has yet to be implemented .
Botswana recognizes him as the rightful winner of Ivory Coast 's elections . The government is concerned the election threatens peace and security in Africa . The government of Botswana also opposed the outcome of Zimbabwe 's elections two years ago .