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The University of Botswana (UB), in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), hosted the third JICA Chair Public Lecture on the 5th of October 2026, bringing together mining experts, academic leaders, students and members of the public to explore how mineral development can be balanced with environmental sustainability.

The lecture featured Professor Dr Yoshitaka Hosoi, Senior Advisor for the Mining Sector at JICA headquarters and visiting Professor at Akita University. Proceedings were directed by Dr Bagai of the School of Geological, Earth and Environmental Sciences. Among those attending were JICA Resident Representative Mr Hiroyasu Tonokawa, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Professor Sununguko Wata Mpoloka, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Dr Edward Dintwe, staff, students and other stakeholders.

Welcoming attendees on behalf of the University leadership, Professor Mpoloka said the lecture was particularly relevant as Botswana sought to diversify its mineral base and strengthen the contribution of mining to the economy.

“Botswana is quite endowed with minerals and there is a lot of mineral activity in the country. For the longest time, we have been relying on diamonds but as you know, they have kind of lost their sparkle,” he said, pointing to the country’s copper, coal and gold prospects.

Speaking on behalf of JICA, Mr Tonokawa highlighted the agency’s longstanding partnership with Botswana, dating back to 1977 and said sustainable mining had become increasingly important as the country and the wider African continent sought to develop their mineral resources responsibly.

“Mining has long been a vital sector for Botswana’s economy and discussions on how to promote mineral development while ensuring environmental sustainability are becoming increasingly important,” he added.

Professor Hosoi, who has more than 35 years of experience in the mining sector, drew on Japan’s mining history to examine how technological innovation and policy interventions helped address environmental challenges while sustaining economic activity.

Drawing on field experience dating back to his work in the Copperbelt region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Professor Hosoi compared mining practices across different geological settings and examined lessons from both open-pit and underground operations.

He emphasised the importance of technological innovation, effective regulation and responsible resource governance in managing the environmental impacts of mining. Japan’s experience, he noted, offered useful lessons for mineral-rich countries such as Botswana seeking to develop their resources while protecting the environment.

The lecture concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, with faculty members and students engaging Professor Hosoi on resource management, environmental stewardship, mine closure strategies and opportunities for academic collaboration under the JICA Chair initiative.