Africa-Press – Botswana. The provision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure is essential in creating a conducive environment for economic prosperity and efficiency.
Officiating during the Botswana-Estonia Business Forum yesterday, President Advocate Duma Boko emphasised the need to evenly develop the ICT infrastructure across the country to give access to high-speed Internet to all members of the community despite their localities.
“All residents need to be serviced with quality health care, quality education and any other service that they are entitled to from their government as citizens of Botswana,” President Boko said.
He said majority of the population settled in the eastern belt of Botswana along the railway line, some sparsely settled on other parts in the western side of the country, who were in need of ICT services and inclusion.
As such, he said there were opportunities for partnership in the digital space as government network modernisation was ongoing through different initiatives in the desire to bring government ICT to a desirable state of effective and efficient service delivery.
It is against this background that President Boko said Botswana would be counting on Estonian companies with their demonstrable record of accomplishment to assist Botswana to deliver on its digitalisation initiatives.
“For the Estonian companies, it would not only be about their intellectual knowledge, but it will rather be about their experience backed by their practical know how which will be pivotal to Botswana’s success digitalisation story,” he said. He said Botswana envisioned a win-win partnership with Estonia citing that the assistance by the Estonian-based company toward the development of the Botswana Unified Revenue Services online tax returns systems was testament of the commitment by both nations toward nurturing economic ties.
He therefore commended Botswana-Estonia Business Forum engagements as they illustrated the two nations’ intention to pursue initiatives that enriched bilateral cooperation to mutually benefit their economies and citizens.
Estonia’s success in digital space, he said was a great motivation to Botswana’s aspiration to become fully digitalised economy, driven by innovation and technology and largely being private sector led.
He said government, in the quest to transform the country, created institutions such as innovation hub and SmartBots to spearhead the country’s innovation and digitalisation efforts, thus expressed confidence on the Estonian guidance to lead Botswana to deliver on its digitalisation endeavours.
Similarly, he said Botswana was equally committed to the promotion of trade and investments between the two countries.
President Boko further added that Botswana was longing for vibrant, open and transparent democratic principles that would enable its citizens to fully participate in the administration and running of the country’s affairs. He said achieving the aforementioned would produce an energised citizenry with full faith and confidence in their government, which was agile, responsive and proactive toward the citizens’ needs and deliver services timely.
President Boko, who was on a three-day State Visit to Estonia arrives in the country today.
He was accompanied by Minister for International Relations, Dr Phenyo Butale, Minister of Communications and Innovation, Mr David Tshere and Minister of Trade and Enterpreneurship, Mr Tiroeaone Ntsima as well as senior government officials.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
