10 Jun 2020

Lessons Botswana has learnt from digital partnerships made through the Davos 2030 vision leaders platform have helped the country deal with COVID-19, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

He said this in an interview in Gaborone on Tuesday following his participation in the inaugural World Economic Forum (WEF) 2030 Vision Leaders’ virtual meeting.

President Masisi pointed out that the use of manual permits during the lockdown period proved tedious and daunting for citizens hence the development of digital versions.

He said technology was also now being used to fast track the delivery of COVID-19 results.

At the January WEF meeting in Davos, Switzerland, President Masisi said, Botswana and other global leaders agreed on ways of supporting each other in an effort to promote the use of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to advance the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In line with the agreement,  participants attended a virtual meeting to discuss progress achieved thus far given the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

President Masisi said the meeting was also meant to share the best possible solutions that could be used to deal with COVID 19. 

Meanwhile, he said a lot still needed to be done to embrace and integrate the use of technology in daily lives.

He said there was potential as evidenced by some local innovations.

President Masisi said the fact that the foundation for use of technology had been laid became apparent during the lockdown period.

It was now time to increase uptake and it was up to Batswana to embrace the use of technology, he said. Ends