Botswana Urged To Exploit Research, Innovation, Technology

BABOKI KAYAWE
Staff Writer | Monday March 1, 2010 00:00

Head of a visiting Japanese delegation, Professor Kiyoshi Kurokawa said the country has to leverage on research, science and technology in order to drive its economy.

Kurokawa said Botswana must ensure that the implementation of its Science, Technology and Innovation policy is capable of contributing to economic growth and sustainability.

'There are great opportunities in the country, which require innovation to see the economy competing globally,' Kurokawa said. 

He said while Botswana's strength in ample resources and good governance could see the country stretching its muscles in the region and beyond there is need to look at the weaknesses among them, such as in the area of research and innovation.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Science and Technology (MIST), Carter Morupisi said getting assistance from Asian experts in the field of science and technology could help transform Botswana's economy to a knowledge based one. The expertise will be towards the finalisation of the revised Science and Technology Policy.

Morupisi explained how MIST has undertaken to drive economic diversification and enhance lives through promoting the use and application of science and technology in all sectors of the economy.

'Developed countries have leveraged on science and technology to aid in their advancement and they continue to enjoy growing economies through continual research, development and innovation,' Morupisi said.

Although he accepted that the country has an enabling environment for promoting the development of science and technology, he warned that implementation remains a challenge.

'We don't only want to come up with a good policy but we would also want to lay a solid foundation for its implementation,' he said.

Professor Kurokawa is from the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo and has served in a number of national and international societies in fields of medicine, science academies and science policy organizations.