26/08/2026
ICIW 2026 Day 1 Reflection: From Energy Transition to Economic Transformation
The Mining and Energy Innovation Forum, held on 18 August 2026 at SKMTH Main Auditorium, Gaborone, explored how Botswana can convert its natural resources, renewable-energy potential and human capital into productive enterprises, competitive industries, jobs and higher-value exports.
The morning session also marked the official opening of Innovation & Capital Investment Week 2026 and the Startup World Cup Botswana Regional Programme.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship delivered the official opening address, demonstrating the Ministry’s commitment to the purpose and vision of ICIW 2026 and Startup World Cup Botswana regional 2026. The address also recognised the importance of regional and global partnerships, while appreciating the private-sector collaborators whose financial, technical and in-kind contributions made the programme possible amid economic-transformation and implementation challenges.
The Ministry’s engagement emphasised the need to transform Botswana from a job-seeking economy into one driven by entrepreneurship, innovation, local enterprise and job creation. Priorities included strengthening the innovation ecosystem, commercialising research, protecting intellectual property, building stronger industry–education partnerships and sustaining a permanent platform through which emerging entrepreneurs can develop and commercialise their ideas.
From megawatts to economic value
In his keynote, Amb. Dr. Seleshi Bekele Awulachew, former Ethiopian Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy and a Renewable Energy Africa Champion under the REN21 Renewable Energy Champions Initiative, challenged participants to view renewable energy as an economic-transformation strategy—not only an electricity or climate programme.
The central question is no longer simply how many megawatts of renewable energy Botswana can install. It is what kind of economy Botswana can build with those megawatts.
Renewable energy can:
Power mines and mineral beneficiation;
Support irrigation, agro-processing and cold chains;
Operate water-pumping and treatment systems;
Supply industrial parks and digital infrastructure;
Enable electric mobility and regional power trade; and
Create enterprises in engineering, construction, installation, maintenance, storage, finance, insurance and digital-energy services.
This is the foundation of a renewables-based economy—one in which affordable, reliable and clean energy becomes a platform for productivity, competitiveness and economic diversification.
Mining as an anchor for renewable industrialisation
Mining can provide concentrated and potentially creditworthy demand for renewable electricity. This creates a pathway from:
Clean power → competitive mining → mineral beneficiation → manufacturing → higher-value exports.
Botswana should therefore ask not only how renewable energy can support mining, but also how mining demand can accelerate renewable-energy investment and support domestic value addition.
The opportunity is to move beyond exporting raw minerals into other countries’ clean-energy industries. Botswana can use its renewable resources to process minerals, develop local capabilities, build enterprises and participate more competitively in regional and global value chains.
Renewable generation must be supported by complete systems
The global transition has shown that increasing generation capacity is only one part of the solution. Renewable-energy expansion must be coordinated with:
Transmission and distribution infrastructure;
Battery storage and system flexibility;
Modern substations and digital system management;
Credible and transparent procurement;
Financially sustainable utilities;
Bankable investment structures;
Skilled institutions and technical professionals; and
Regional integration through the Southern African Power Pool.
A solar panel produces electricity. A well-designed energy system produces competitiveness.
Grid and off-grid solutions should not be treated as competing approaches. Large interconnected systems are essential for mines, cities, manufacturing and regional trade, while mini-grids, commercial and industrial solar, solar irrigation and storage can serve remote communities and productive enterprises more quickly.
Measuring more than installed capacity
Success should not be measured only in megawatts or avoided carbon emissions. It should also be measured through:
Enterprises established;
Jobs created;
Farms and mines supplied with reliable energy;
Minerals processed locally;
New skills and capabilities developed;
Imports replaced;
Regional exports generated; and
Communities benefiting from productive energy use.
The forum proposed moving from a conventional renewable-energy project pipeline to a Renewables-Based Economy Pipeline covering opportunities such as solar-plus-mining, mineral beneficiation, irrigation, cold chains, water services, tourism, industrial parks, digital infrastructure and storage.
For each opportunity, four practical questions should guide development:
Where is the productive demand?
What infrastructure is missing?
Which policy or market bottleneck is preventing investment?
What is required to make the opportunity bankable?
This is how conference dialogue can be converted into an investment and implementation programme.
Building resilience and global competitiveness
Judy Zakreski, Senior Vice President for Global Operations and Solutions at the International Code Council and Co-Chair of the UNEP GlobalABC Adaptation Working Group, demonstrated how standards, quality infrastructure and effective regulation can protect people and assets while supporting investment, insurance, resilience and global market access.
Her contribution emphasised that adopting regulations is only the first step. Effective implementation requires trained inspectors, plan-review capacity, product testing, certification, conformity assessment and coordinated enforcement.
Our technical contributors
We acknowledge:
Nancy Kgengwenyane, who framed the discussion on critical minerals, inclusive value chains and a just transition;
Tshepiso Masilonyane, who examined sustainable-finance models for industrial value chains and biodiversity economies;
Dr Marian Taimu, who addressed market intelligence for renewable-energy innovation, investment and competitiveness;
Judy Zakreski, who connected standards, resilience, compliance and international market access;
Keleadile Ruda, who led the discussion on sustainable energy, resilient infrastructure and global competitiveness;
Kgolo Oratile Hebert Amos, who presented innovation opportunities in mining rehabilitation and waste management; and
Amb. Dr. Seleshi Bekele Awulachew, who connected renewable-energy development with enterprise, industry, trade and long-term prosperity.
We thank Swift, the ICIW 2026 Master of Ceremonies, for professionally guiding the programme and sustaining participant engagement.
Our sincere appreciation also goes to BONELA, our Inclusion Partner, for supporting inclusive participation and providing refreshments for participants.
The message from Day 1 was clear:
Sunlight → electricity → productivity → enterprise → industry → trade → prosperity and resilience.
The ultimate measure of Botswana’s energy transition will not simply be how much renewable energy is installed, but the new economy that abundant, affordable and reliable energy makes possible.
