Botswana: The Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture Honest Buti Billy, the country’s obligation, is to have impeccable management of archives and records in the public and private sectors.
Minister Billy was speaking at the commemoration of the International Archives Day held in Francistown at the Francistown Archives Center under the theme “Enriching Knowledge Societies.”
He said the commemoration further assists “in reflecting on the importance of Archives in good governance, administrative transparency, democratic accountability and further create awareness among the general populace including the decision makers on the significance of archives and records especially in this complex modern society”.
Minister Billy indicated that Botswana’s drive under the current Administration is relentlessly pursuing the Economic diversification drive and an endearing transformative move to a Knowledge Based Economy with earnestness. He said this is done with the understanding that it is archives that is facilitating and influencing Batswana to understand themselves and create a sense of national identity.
On her part, UNESCO representative, Gloria Baitshepi, highlighted that International Archives Day helps people understand the value and support archives and the archival profession, enhancing their visibility globally.
She said knowledge societies are about capabilities to identify, produce, process, transform, disseminate and use the information to build and apply knowledge for human development.
UNESCO has pioneered in enlarging the vision of technology, moving beyond infrastructure to human needs.
Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Ms Dineo Phuti, said BNARS’s ability to adapt to current demands must be appropriately squared to the ideals of the national transformation agenda to attain an effective service delivery.