02 Dec 2024

In an endeavour to attain vision 2036 goal of sustainable economic development and prosperity for all, government has made commitment to support research, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Officially opening Botswana Digital and Innovation Day in Gaborone Thursday, Minister of Communications and Innovation, Mr David Tshere reaffirmed government commitment towards economic transformation through investing in science and innovation.

He said the Botswana Innovation Day was a perfect platform for local innovators to showcase their innovations and network with potential investors.

Mr Tshere said the drive to digital transformation had also gained momentum over the years citing the village connectivity (SmartBots), e-health and education, adding they were a testament of government commitment toward the realisation of the fourth industrial revolution drive.

“Our approach towardsdigital transformation has been to activate the entire country to work towards this common goal,” he said.

Mr Tshere said government was in the process of reviewing legislations, policies and strategies as well as all structures that needed to work cohesively for the realisation of a digital Botswana.

In this regard, he said Botswana had made significant progress with some of the initiatives, which included the Starlink internet services connective drive to ensure reliable connectivity and faster internet surfing.

Thus, Mr Tshere said it was only fitting that government was promoting the digitalisation of the public sector and deliver citizen centered solutions in an effective and efficient manner.

“We believe in innovating for Batswana then the world, hence the efforts to digitise Botswana’s public sector and deliver citizen aimed solutions in a manner that is efficient and cost effective with the primary focus been their convenience to the user,” Mr Tshere said.

He urged stakeholders to strive towards the attainment of a knowledge-based economy and move away from over dependence on mineral resources. Mr Tshere pleaded with innovators to fully utilise the Botswana innovation fund which seeks to fund young innovators to develop and sharpen their skills.

He said local innovators should strive to innovate products that would address local challenges and the needs of an ordinary Motswana.

“There is need to come up with innovations that would directly solve the day to day needs of citizens to uplift their status quo and livelihoods as well as support the innovation ecosystem,” he said.

He said government network modernisation was in full swing through different initiatives, in the desire to bring the country ICT infrastructure to a desirable state of effective and efficient service delivery. Ends