Govt calls for stakeholder collaboration over ICT
Government has reiterated the signi cance of information, technology and learning in driving economic success, as the country seeks to be knowledge based economy. e Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, Thulagano Merafe Segokgo speaking at the Huawei Telecom Congress Botswana 2024, this week said government has renewed emphasis on the signi cance of information and technology, calling for collaboration of stakeholders. Huawei Telecom Congress Botswana is an o shoot of Mobile World Congress ( MWC), a GSMA sponsored telecom exhibition that takes place in Barcelona, Spain at the start of each year. Segokgo called for a collective commitment of stakeholders to harness technology for the betterment of society. “We are acutely aware of the transformative power of ICT in driving socioeconomic development and fostering innovation,” said Segokgo. He said Botswana is pursuing a digital transformation and mindset change agenda which has the objective of engendering and mainstreaming ICTs across all sectors of the economy.
“is agenda aims to achieve a fundamental objective: to integrate and prioritize Information and Communication Technologies ( ICTs) across every facet of the economy,” Segokgo said.
He said the overarching goal is to ensure that ICTs become pervasive and indispensable tools, not limited to speci c sectors but rather woven into the fabric of all economic activities.
According to the Minister, Botswana’s strategic approach underscores that the country is committed to leverage technology as a catalyst for innovation, e ciency, and sustainable development across its entire economic landscape. Sharing the Minister’s sentiments Huawei Botswana’s Managing Director, David Zhang said the company is committed to improving the capabilities of its marketing and service systems, by optimizing processes and information technology ( IT) tools. “Huawei is happy to welcome more partners to support the digital and intelligent transformation of SMEs, to achieve shared growth in the distribution and commercial markets,” said Zhang.
Zhang implored stakeholders to share insights, and forge new partnerships that will shape the future of telecommunications. Segokgo applauded Huawei’s pledge to empower operators and partners to unlock the full potential of 5G.
“By showcasing their comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions under the theme of advanced intelligence, Huawei is not just presenting cutting- edge technology but paving the way for a smarter, more interconnected future. “is diverse o ering enables operators to build ubiquitous, e cient, and collaborative networks that will serve as the backbone of the intelligent world of tomorrow,” said the Minister. Meanwhile, the Commercial and Economic Counsellor of China to Botswana, Lan Yuqiang praised Huawei’s role in promoting economic growth and development through ICT innovations and solutions.
He further commended the Ministry of Communications, Knowledge, and Technology for its pivotal role in shaping Botswana’s ICT landscape and fostering growth and development.