Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) have been globally recognised to be key tools to achieving global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Africa Agenda 2063 in creating ‘the Africa we want’ and the SADC protocols on STI.

The Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr. Matjato Moteane said this on Wednesday when officially opening on behalf of the Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation (MICSTI) the symposium held in Maseru.

The symposium which has been organised by the Department of Science and Technology with regional SADC Research Innovation Management (RIM) drew relevant stakeholders with the purpose to share knowledge and experience on how to improve RIM.

Mr. Moteane said the issue of innovation is very important and the cabinet supports them, noting that they are also prioritised in the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) II.

The Minister said the government of Lesotho in its NSDP II has prioritised science and technology as a key factor to ensure development.

On the same note, Commonwealth Secretariat Senior Director of the Strategy, Portfolio, Partnerships and Digital Division, Mr. Joshua Setipa said this is a commitment to show support in efforts of research and innovation, making sure that they become the order of the day locally, especially during these dynamics challenges of life.

Mr. Setipa said the goal is to build more prosperous, equitable and resilient societies.

“Convening here today is testimony enough that the Lesotho government is committed towards radical transformation so as to grow the economy through science and technology,” Mr Setipa said.

Mr. Setipa also mentioned that the Commonwealth has established an innovation hub, noting that this platform will serve as a knowledge, resource and development of ideas meant to build RIM and ecosystems for the accomplishment of SDGs.

Moreover, a Representative from the Department of Science in South Africa, Dr Konanani Rashamushe said there is a need for collaboration in order to realise the potential of science, especially in research and innovation.

Dr Rashamushe said it is necessary that all actors in RIM work together, saying the scope of that collaboration can extend all the way from joint agenda 13 through purposely developing synergies among programmes to pulling skills and financial resources as well as evaluating their own progress they have made.

Present at this event included the Principal Secretary of MICSTI, Mr. Lira Moeti, the private sector, and senior government officials within the SADC region.