Chief Executive Officer of Progressive Institute Mmoloki Mmolotsi says the world is transforming rapidly, changing the way people and goods travel within and across cities, regions, countries and continents.

He stated that sustainable transport and energy are fundamental to progress in realising the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs).

Speaking at the inaugural Transport and Energy Summit in Gaborone this week Mmolotsi indicated that urbanisation has given Botswana more economic opportunities and has helped generate good jobs, raise incomes, and reduce poverty. Yet urbanisation has also brought urban sprawl and congestion, he noted.

“People lose time and businesses lose money from delays. Botswana can now invest in smart urban transport solutions, which will make cities more productive and livable across Botswana.

“Transport and Energy enable the mobility of people and goods, enhancing economic growth and livelihoods while improving access to quality services, such as health, education and finance.

“Transport and Energy strengthen connectivity at all levels, helping integrate economies, improving social equity, enhancing rural- urban linkages and building resilience,” he told stakeholders.

The first Botswana Transport and Energy Summit was being held under the Theme, ‘ Leveraging Transport and Energy Capabilities to transform the Botswana Economy.’

He explained that establishing a sustainable urban transport system requires a comprehensive and integrated approach to policymaking and decision- making, with the aim of developing affordable, economically viable, people- oriented and environment- friendly transport systems.

According to Mmolotsi, as the country intensifies its programmes aimed at achieving Vision 2036, the success of the Reset Agenda hinges on aggressive national economic development.

Central and critical to economic development, he said, is the need for sustainable supply of all forms of energy in a manner that proactively protects the climate, slows down and arrests climate change and protects the environment for the future.

Mmolotsi told the summit that the Government of Botswana crafted the National Energy Policy whose objective is to guide the management and development of Botswana’s energy sector in order to attain energy self- sufficiency and increased security of supply.

“The Energy dimension of the Transport and Energy Summit seeks to explore the potential and capacity of the diverse forms of energy to sustain Botswana’s economic development,” he said.

Speaking at the same event, Minister of Trade and Industry Mmusi Kgafela said the current state of physical infrastructure and services in transport and energy in Botswana like the rest of the Continent remains inadequate.

He said this constitutes a serious impediment to the country’s development and achievement of the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs). The Minister stated that this results in reduced service options and quality available to the population, particularly the most vulnerable segments.

He said however, as the Botswana Transport and Energy Summit and Expo, has as its core objective, the desire to refocus all key stakeholders and in particular, Energy and Transport Leaders to pay particular and committed attention to the Sustainable Economic Development Pillar.

“As a country, we are largely better in transport and energy infrastructure in Africa compared to other regions. Of note is that transport, in all its modes, is also an enabler for trade. To that effect, integration efforts for Africa, premised on the conclusion of the African Continental Free Trade Area recognises two other pillars as critical for advancing the trade agenda for the continent,” the Minister said.

The Minister explained that these are industrial developments to ensure that Africa produces goods that they can trade with each other; and infrastructural development, covering soft and hard infrastructure to facilitate movement of goods. According to Kgafela, the hard infrastructure covers road, rail, air, water and energy as important modes of transport of goods and people to foster Africa’s development agenda.

“I am elated to note that in an endeavour to support Africa’s integration aspirations, Botswana and Zambia successfully delivered the P1.4 billion Kazungula Bridge Project linking the two countries. The bridge provides a gateway to the wider AfCFTA market.

“This bridge has immensely reduced the costs of doing business by cutting down the time taken to transit between Botswana and Zambia, sometimes with delays as long as two weeks to less than a day”, the Minister told the summit.

Kgafela noted that it further reduces traffic and clearance costs, but also opens up business opportunities for the communities on either side of the river. He emphasised that even as the country celebrate these milestones, “we recognise that we exist within a global village and cannot run away from the effects of growing geopolitical tensions.”

These, he said continue to undermine the strides the country has made thus far. He indicated that the Russia- Ukraine conflict, which has strained relationships globally, has also affected energy prices and security of supply, through the disruption of supply chains and the resultant price escalations.

Kgafela also cited the long term effects of the Covid- 19 pandemic, which has amplified existing structural inequalities within African countries, Botswana included. The minister pointed out that this has exacerbated income inequalities and poverty, as well as inequalities in education and skills.

“At the global level, we have seen advanced economies disinvesting from developing countries by luring investments back into their countries to provide a cushion for possible future pandemics,” Kgafela stated.

He added that the Summit and Expo gives opportunity for Botswana to reflect on the role it can play in the regional and global geopolitical environment.

“We are delighted that SACU, SADC and the AfCFTA recognise the role of infrastructure in African development on the backdrop of current challenges.”