30 Jul 2019

 The Fourth Industrial Revolution requires engineers to introspect and consider the role they need to play in shaping the future.

Officially opening a three-day engineers forum 2019, Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing Development permanent secretary Mr Dikagiso Mokotedi said the speed at which the revolution was occurring was unprecedented.

He said the revolution was characterised by a fusion of technologies that was blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres.

“It is no longer rocket science to know that we are in a globalised world and as engineers you are at the forefront of this revolution” pointed out Mr Mokotedi.

He said the forum’s theme “Fostering Engineering Innovation and Creativity through Effective Partnerships”, was appropriate as it resonated with Vision 2036, especially the key imperative on innovation.

Mr Mokotedi said engineers were going to be a big part of the national agenda as Botswana sought to transform itself from an upper middle income country to a high income one by 2036. 

“The so-called fourth industrial revolution is upon us and it demands quick thinking, dexterity of action and wisdom in decision making” he said.

Mr Mokotedi said the theme compelled engineers to be at the centre of a multi stakeholder approach to solutions for challenges that faced Botswana. 

“Our dream is to achieve an inclusive economic development. As we ponder on the encroaching global trends, we do so confronted with a backdrop of a myriad of ugly realities”, he stated. 

Among the challenges Mr Mokotedi mentioned unacceptable levels of unemployment, especially among the youth, huge income gaps, poor service delivery concerns and environmental impacts of climate change that stifled food production efforts and drove the cost of living beyond many people’s reach. 

Also of great concern was the reported level of corruption sweeping through Botswana that threatened to wipe out any gains that the country had made in its 50 years of existence as well as crime statistics that were on an upward trajectory, he said. 

In the health sector, he said  HIV/AIDS was still a grim reality as well as other ailments such as depression and other lifestyle diseases which had become prevalent among Batswana. 

Mr Mokotedi urged the engineers to commit themselves to tackling the mentioned issues. 

He said achievement of high income status would entail optimal mobilisation of all the resources Botswana had around a common vision.

It would also entail synergising individual, community and institutional strengths to take the challenges head on and to drive the vision, he said. He said it called for absolute and selfless leadership commitment at all levels. 

“I therefore call upon engineers in this country to actively engage both government and the public to proffer innovative solutions both at policy and technical levels that would address the challenges that face us,” he stated.

Meanwhile Mr Mokotedi said the forum was an occasion that brought under one roof tremendous brain power and experience capable of tackling any technical and socio-economic challenges facing Botswana.

He further said it was also an opportunity to take stock of the successes and failures and to evaluate the environment under which engineers were operating and the extent to which they had contributed to that environment. 

The forum brought together engineers from across the country including representatives of engineering regulatory bodies from Namibia, Tanzania, South Africa and Zambia. Ends