03 Nov 2019

 Government is committed to digitalise the economy in an effort to embrace the fourth industrial revolution, President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

Speaking during his inauguration in Gaborone on November 1, he said the country was working hard to embrace the dictates of global digital revolution and transform its people and economy.

President Masisi said there were efforts to facilitate digital ecosystem to enhance the speed of doing things.

To this end, he said, government would continue to fund digital entrepreneurship, research and development as well as train communities on basic internet skills to reap maximum benefits.

Furthermore, he said there was commitment to provide technical assistance to the government in ensuring that youth led ICT companies were trained and capacitated.

He said a company called Liquid Telecom had partnered with the Botswana Innovation Hub to train youth in coding or software development.

Additionally, he said the country’s wide internet access programme for students would see the development of Edu-zones providing a dedicated platform that would drive research, innovation and digital learning around the country.

“All these efforts will underpin our drive to change our economy to be knowledge based and transform our country from a middle to a high-income status,” he said.

President Masisi also mentioned that government would digitise services to make coming and staying in Botswana easy.

Such services include among others, the immigration services, which he said would go a long way in facilitating potential foreign investors to set up shop in this country.

With regards to health, President said provision of health infrastructure must be adequate and equitably distributed to meet the unique needs and challenges of health services in the country.

He said government would work relentlessly to achieve a higher rate of return on investments in the health sector.

To this end, he said more investments would be made in the innovation and research space by tertiary institutions through material science application to solve health problems including through physical fitness. ENDS