24 Jul 2024

Government has introduced various initiatives to transform the economy through the use of digital technology, says Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, Mr Thulagano Segokgo.

Launching BOCRA’s 2024-2029 strategy in Gaborone on Tuesday, Minister Segokgo said the initiatives included the Smart Botswana strategy, Digital Transformation strategy, Reset Agenda and the national broadband strategy.

He said the initiatives were beginning to bear fruit as the 2024 World Competitiveness report placed Botswana at 38 out of 67 on government efficiency. 

He also said the country had moved from position 61 in 2021 to 55 in 2024 among those striving for technological advancement. “What can be measured can be improved,” he said.

Minister Segokgo also said he was pleased that BOCRA had plans which were measurable over the next five year period.

The minister said as a sector led by BOCRA, they were better placed to understand their individual and collective contributions to the nation, region and the global economy, adding that how much the country would benefit from the Fourth Industrial Revolution depended on how they performed as a sector.

He said the strategy presented would be critical in measuring their performance over the next five years, and that it was comforting that the strategy considered the Digital Transformation Agenda as espoused by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

The minister said they had seen how digital transformation made inclusivity possible. 

“We have seen our rural schools that have access to ICTs manage to continue with the learning process, and we see daily how mobile banking solutions have brought the unbanked into the mainstream economy,” he said, adding that online meetings have also reduced distances and saved time and money in the process.

Furthermore, he said the above examples should encourage them to do more and emphasised the need for affordable and universal connectivity in the country.

The minister said government was steadfast in its resolve to place digital transformation at the centre of the national development agenda. 

He noted that during the State-of-the-Nation Address in November, President Masisi emphasised that the digitisation of the public sector was critical for service delivery in a knowledge based economy, and urged the nation to embrace the Reset Agenda and Mindset Change as they focused on achieving the ideals of Vision 2036.

He said by signing an agreement with BOCRA and other boards, BOCRA had announced what was to be measured. 

He also said BOCRA had made a social contract and would be held accountable, as he looked forward to the implementation of the strategy.

For his part, BOCRA chief executive officer, Mr Martin Mokgware said they focused on four sectors being the telecommunications sector, the broadcasting sector, postal services and Internet and ICT sector.

He said they had not done well on cybersecurity and pleaded for a cyber security law.

He also said they aimed for a 75 per cent radio coverage and that they managed to get 80 per cent. 

He noted that they had 2.9 million broadband subscribers and the highest Internet penetration in the region. 

He said challenges included the high costs of construction, lengthy processes of acquisition of land, limited access to government buildings for the installation of signal enhancing equipment, theft and vandalism of communication equipment. 

He also said cyber security threats were a challenge. Ends