BIDPA marked its 30th anniversary with symposium and a gala dinner under the theme “Celebrating 30 Years of Providing Evidence-based Policy Advice: The Role and Future of Think Tanks in a Rapidly Changing World.
Delivering a keynote address at a gala dinner celebrating the 30th anniversary of BIDPA, Mr. Gaolathe said as the country looks to move beyond diamonds and create a private-led and export-led economy, the government will on a regular basis seek technical support from BIDPA to ensure it delivers better opportunities for Batswana. “Repurpose yourself because the think tanks of the future must be agile, data-driven, financially resilient, and strategically positioned to interpret global trends,” he advised.
In navigating current financial and economic challenges, Mr. Gaolathe stated that it is imperative to inculcate a culture of open dialogue between government and policy making institutions, pointing out that nations have forged a culture of open discussions and have recorded unprecedented success as result. “Globally, countries that managed to adapt faster to changing circumstances did not only invest in strong policy research institutions like BIDPA, they have also invested in building the capacity to listen to, and utilise the output of such research. Botswana must be no different,” he noted.
Further, Mr. Gaolathe cautioned the leadership of BIDPA to remain committed to its core mandate. “Let us recommit ourselves to the principle that has guided this institution from the beginning, that policies must be rooted in evidence not in speculation,” he warned.
For his part, BIDPA board chairperson, Mr Daniel Molaodi, urged government to devise ways of capacitating BIDPA to carry out more ground-breaking research.