01 May 2024

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has hailed innovation and entrepreneurship as some of the key drivers of economies both at national and global levels.

He was speaking at the Legatum Centre for Development and Entrepreneurship conference at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, United States of America.

The  conference was held under the theme: Innovation in Global Growth Markets; Charting New Pathways to Prosperity Through Entrepreneurship, to which President Masisi said resonated with Botswana’s aspirations and the broader narrative of Africa’s rise to becoming globally competitive and significant contributor and player to global prosperity.

He stated that whereas the growth and success of new and existing businesses thrived on innovation, entrepreneurship provided the vision that turned innovative ideas into reality.

It is for this reason that he told innovators and entrepreneurs who filled the MIT hall that government of Botswana had established the Ministries of entrepreneurship and that of communications, knowledge and technology.

The ministry of Entrepreneurship is primarily charged with the provision of leadership and overall policy direction, strategy and standards on business development while the Ministry of Communications, Knowledge and Technology was created to harness the power of science, technology, research, development and innovation towards transforming Botswana’s economy.

President Masisi further said the Reset and Reclaim Agenda that had birthed the two ministries and the establishment of the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub as a science and technology park, spoke to the country’s commitment within both the innovation and entrepreneurship space.

Innovators and Entrepreneurs learnt also of the free high-speed and reliable internet, courtesy of the Botswana government that does not only enhance the digital delivery of services, but encouraged the uptake of digitised production systems.

Exciting and rewarding as it is, President Masisi is alive to the fact that innovation is not a solo act, but a collaborative effort that needs all hands on deck and cross-pollination of ideas across disciplines, sectors and borders.

“Institutions like MIT can serve as bridges connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with established businesses, investors and mentors. They can facilitate partnerships between developed and developing nations, enabling knowledge transfer and the co-creation of solutions tailored to specific regional needs,” he said.

He also stated that Botswana wanted a deeper collaboration with the institute to build a future where prosperity knows no boundaries. ENDS