Africa-Press – Botswana. President Advocate Duma Boko has encouraged members of Botswana Defence Force (BDF) to embrace innovation and find home grown solutions, highlighting their key role in the envisaged development of the defence industry.
Speaking at the BDF Strategic Conference held in Gaborone Monday, the President said such an industry would help the country with its economic expansion and further presents opportunities for the BDF members whose expertise would be needed even after their retirement.
“I encourage you to be innovative to embrace technology, to develop and deploy homegrown solutions to the challenges that you face,” he said.
President Boko who is also the Commander in Chief of Armed Forces said they should always think innovatively around technology and its utilisation in relation to defence systems and refine their technical acumen accordingly.
“Your innovative ideas could easily give birth to defence industry that will not only shorten your supply chain but also contribute to economic development,” he said.
The President said he had directed that a feasibility study on setting up a defence industry should be prioritised and the BDF technical input was essential.
He said the law needed to be amended to facilitate the establishment of this industry in the shortest possible time.
Advocate Boko said the industry would provide prospects and opportunities for members of the BDF, adding that with the facility, retirement might mean shifting from active duty into a supporting industry.
He said BDF members were better placed to be involved in the industry and urged them to attend this as it presented opportunities for them.
Meanwhile the President said the theme of the Conference Embracing a New Dawn in Defence Capabilities: Inspired by Human Security, Accountability and Meritocracy, spoke not only of change in hardware or tactics, but also assistance given to people.
He saluted the BDF members for continuing to keep the nation safe and said Batswana appreciated the sacrifices they made, sometimes at a cost of their lives, in order to attain a secure and stable environment in which personal freedoms were assured.
“We owe you and the entire BDF membership a debt that we can never fully repay,” he said.
President Boko said government was aware of the challenges they faced such as conditions of service for the members as well as civilian employees, operational readiness and social welfare challenges and assured them that government remained committed to ensuring that the military was adequately equipped and resourced. “We will continue to listen to your concerns with an open mind and we will continue to address these concerns in the best manner we can,” he said.
President Boko said he was aware that they had challenges over pensions and said the retirement age of BDF personnel had to be reviewed.
There were also issues over accommodation, health care services, equipment maintenance, refurbishment and replacement of military ware.
President Boko said citizens expected the military to be gatekeepers of all things that were good and noble.
“Batswana impose trust and confidence in you to serve them with diligence, above all other considerations. Your first responsibility is the protection of life, and you cannot have your members act otherwise. Any departure from this national conduct will invariably erode the trust and confidence that the nation places in you,” he said.
President Boko reminded them that they were the nation’s first line of defence and the nation expected them to provide a safe and stable environment upon which economic growth was built.
“Your role in maintaining national peace and security directly and indirectly enhances Botswana’s attractiveness to foreign investors,” he said and continued to encourage them to be anchors of safety and security, as well as peace that guaranteed the enjoyment of the fundamental human rights.
The president said it was imperative for the country to ensure that those who guaranteed its peace, its safety and security were taken care of.
“It is an obligation therefore, to look after the BDF. It is your work, your commitment that continues to reassure investors that Botswana is a safe destination of capital and innovation in this era of the knowledge economy.”
The president encouraged the BDF personnel to utilise the Bonno Housing Scheme saying it was aimed at affording citizens with decent housing.
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