28 Feb 2021

University of Botswana (UB) and Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aimed at improving communities.

The objective of the MoU was to establish and maintain a partnership focused on implementing collaborative activities that contributed towards national development anchored on National Development Plan (NDP), vision 2036 and other key strategic documents.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Gaborone recently, UB Vice Chancellor Professor David Norris said the ceremony was pleasing to his institution since both organisations had a lot of commonality in their operations, adding that they played an important and critical role of developing society. 

“Both organisations mirror each other’s missions,” he said.

He highlighted that the organisations advocated for a number of issues affecting communities such as environmental and human rights, noting that they also promoted social and political change on a broad scale.

UB and BOCONGO, he said monitored the actions of the government as well as private sector and advised where possible.

Giving MoU overview, Dean – Faculty of Social Sciences, Professor David Sebudubudu said BOCONGO made the right choice by identifying UB as a partner through which it wished to advance national development.

When BOCONGO approached UB, he said they were happy realising that they had a partner that would assist the institution to move ahead, to advance the agenda.

He indicated that the partnership came at a critical juncture because the university had just rolled out a strategy for 2028 and beyond, which included being an engaged institution.

Professor Sebudubudu indicated that both organisations pledged to work together to be able to advance national development through key policy documents such as national vision 2036 and Africa Agenda 2063 amongst others. 

“We believe BOCONGO with the critical role that they play will help us as a partner to be able to advance these policy frameworks,” he added.

Through the MoU, he said both organisations intended to work together in policy advocacy, advancing research using technology as well as ensuring that international instruments were domesticated, adding that it was however possible through the support of government.

He pointed out that as a country there was talk about the fourth industrial revolution, noting that government needed to commit part of the GDP to be able to advance this revolution or else it would not be possible to achieve it.

For his part BOCONGO’s Executive Director, Mr Monametsi Sokwe explained that it was upon civil society to come together and work for the good of the nation, adding that the government had set up institutions to make that possible. 

“It is upon us to lead our country because Batswana are looking at us for guidance,” he said.

Mr Sokwe highlighted that the country could not develop without organisations working together, talking to policy together as well as looking at legislative processes together.

 “We are at a stage where we have to commit to working together in order to take our country forward,” he added.  Ends