Botswana seeks Japan ICT support

GABORONE - Collaboration and partnerships with researchers and institutions from developed countries will help Botswana to achieve its Vision 2016 pillar of a prosperous, productive and innovative nation.
Minister of Communications, Science and Technology, Mrs Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi told a delegation of Japanese science and technology research experts during a one-day seminar at Phakalane that Botswana was endowed with natural resources, but these alone could not take the country anywhere. The aim of the seminar was to provide a platform for discussion on how Japan could support the development of science, technology and innovation in Botswana.
Mrs Venson-Moitoi said one such partnership, could be in the use of micro- algae spirulina against malnutrition.
I have been encouraging the National Food Technology Research Centre to host this project in Botswana because the Inter-government Institute for the use of Micro-Algae Spirulina against malnutrition has also expressed their interest to build a spirulina field in Botswana.
She said she would like to see stronger collaborations in Science and Technology research and development, particularly that the country was growing in its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development and connectivity.
Mrs Venson-Moitoi further said she would like to see partnerships in the form of attachment of researchers, visiting lecturers and researchers, especially that two major projects, Botswana Innovation Hub and Botswana International University of Science and Technology are commencing. The Innovation Hub is one of the mega projects being set up by government to facilitate the countrys economic growth and diversification, accelerate employment for Batswana while promoting an information and knowledge society and harnessing creativity and innovation.
Its main focus is to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the areas of mining technologies, ICT, energy and biotechnology.
However, Mr Michio Hashimoto, Counselor in the Cabinet office in Japan said his country had a science and technology mission aimed at surveying science and technology policies and research and development activities in Africa.
He said however, that one of the keys to success in Research Park would be a synergy of private research and public research.
In this connection, both the private and public fund is equally necessary to the success of the park.
He said Botswana had a great challenge in that few people have been trained in the area of research hence there were few experienced researchers who could guide up coming young researchers.
He said Japan had an industrial cluster programme in which 290 universities and 10700 Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) are networked to 18 industry clusters.
He said 2 450 entities such as research institutions, financial services and trading houses provided support to the industry clusters.
A representative from Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Mr Go Miyabe said the organisations office in Johannesburg covered 30 African countries, Botswana included.
JETRO promotes across border business by collecting information regarding business exploration in Africa and disseminate it to the Japanese business community through magazines and newspapers.
He said the organisation also had business matching as a strategy to assist African business people interested in forming partnerships with Japanese business investors.