Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana desires to continue strengthening and reinventing its relationship with De Beers Group, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.
Giving a public lecture at the US’ Pennsylvania University Monday, he said the objective was to see Batswana play a significant role throughout the diamond value chain.
Dr Masisi said citizen participation should not be confined to upstream mining activities but should extend to mid and downstream processes.
He explained that there was greater value addition in the mentioned processes leveraging on technology, innovation, pricing and marketing.
The President said the exploitation of Botswana’s mineral resources had been a key factor in the development of the country since independence.
President Masisi said Botswana was endowed with mineral resources predominantly diamonds and coal.
Therefore the mining sector would continue to play a significant role in the economy, he said.
The President said there was a strong focus to diversify Botswana’s economy both within and away from that sector.
To date, Dr Masisi said revenues derived from the mining sector, particularly diamond mining, had helped government to invest heavily in infrastructure development, including education, health, water and roads.
That, he explained, laid the foundation for the country’s future transformation, reducing over-dependence on the extractive-resource-based economy.
He said the heavy investment in education since the 1980s augured well for the envisaged knowledge-based economy.
On Botswana’s democracy, he said it had endured because of accountability through checks and balances, commitment to the rule of law and separation of powers which were enshrined in the national constitution.
He said the democratic system ensured that Batswana were at the epicentre of the formation and functionality of the structures of governance.
Meanwhile Botswana’s ambassador to the US Mr Kitso Mokaila has said President Masisi’s invitation to give the lecture was a clear demonstration of Botswana’s leadership on the African continent in terms of good governance, democracy and the rule of law.
“Many a times people in the United States do not know the good that comes out of Africa though there are many lessons to learn from Botswana,” he said in an interview ahead of the lecture.
The invitation was extended to President Masisi by the university’s Center for Africana Studies which is dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding of the people of Africa.
The centre, according to Mr Mokaila, sought to highlight the intellectual impact of African communities and diaspora groups worldwide.
He pointed out that the university had a long standing partnership with Botswana in the health sector and specifically with the University of Botswana (UB) which was formalised in 2001.
The ambassador said the main objective of the partnership was to build health care and research capacity in Botswana.
Pennsylvania University assisted with training health care personnel throughout Botswana in treating HIV/AIDS and its complications as well as in developing post graduate internal medicine related training programmes at UB, he said.
The programmes, Mr Mokaila said, had facilitated the exchange of knowledge, skills and experiences developing joint research strategies for addressing issues relevant to the health and welfare of Batswana.
“Pennsylvania University has been assisting at Sir KetumileTeaching Hospital and it is entirely up to the two universities that they harvest the best out of each other,” he said.
It was now interested in learning more about Botswana’s progress in governance, democracy and management of natural resources, he explained.
Ambassador Mokaila said the lecture gave President Masisi the opportunity to highlight the role played by leadership in maintaining Botswana’s democratic ideals and natural resources management.
He said the lectures had featured high profile leaders including former US president Bill Clinton and would next month host Nigeria vice president Yemi Osinbajo.
Rated the 7th best university in the US, the institution has six Batswana students in general studies, computer science and engineering and business administration.
Professor of Africana Studies at the university, Mr Wale Adebanwi said President Masisi was invited because of Botswana’s example in Africa.
Botswana was not only effectively managing its natural resources but boasted good governance and the rule of law, he said.
The lecture was held under the theme: Good Governance, Democracy and the Management of Natural Resources in Botswana, Lessons for Other resource Rich Countries in the World.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
