Aids-Stricken Botswana Sees No Development Progress From Telecommunications – UN
With AIDS threatening to reverse socio-economic progress in Botswana, the southern African country has also found that
it needs telecommunications innovation, not just infrastructure, to accelerate economic development, a report
co-sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government says.
The report, entitled "Harnessing Science and Technology for Human Development," says although the country has developed
an elaborate information and communication technology (ICT) network, it belongs to a "large group of developing
countries that are neither involved in science and technology innovation, nor its diffusion at any significant level."
Botswana's strong fiscal position from mineral exports gives it "the basic requirements for developing a strong science
and technology capacity. But so far the results to tap into that potential have not been encouraging," UNDP says, citing
the report.
As an agenda for the future development of the country, the Government must seriously address issues including HIV/AIDS,
poverty reduction and the development of research innovation systems, says the report, Botswana's third human
development assessment.
"By adopting the theme of 'Harnessing Science and Technology for Human Development,' we hope to bring into focus how
technology can accelerate the pace of human development in Botswana and how human development, in turn, can promote the
creation and implementation of technological breakthroughs in Botswana," UNDP Resident Representative Bjoern Foerde
says.
With regard to HIV/AIDS, the report says Botswana's sustained economic growth, attributable to its mineral wealth and
its disciplined approach to macroeconomic management, stable democracy and good governance, is endangered by the
pandemic.