Africa's Knowledge Economy and Links to India

Competitive advantage for economies, both developed and developing, will be increasingly based on knowledge in all its forms, including science and technology, smart entrepreneurship, and new business and organizational development models. Due to COVID-19, the need for innovative solutions to health and economic disruptions has never been as keenly felt. This paper is structured in five parts. The first part examines the extent to which various countries in Sub-Saharan Africa participate in the global knowledge economy. Data is drawn from the UN Knowledge Index and canvases knowledge economy parameters such as research and development, value-added industrial production and knowledge-intensive services, advanced education, and entrepreneurship. The second part examines in more depth some of the critical drivers of the knowledge economy, drawing on our own framework. The third part critically examines the key policy documents and visions of select African nations to ascertain progress and performance in the knowledge economy from a policy point of view. The fourth section examines the relationship between Africa and India. India has long-standing links with Africa in economy, culture, and society. This paper examines recent developments in the relationship including trade and student mobility. The final section is the conclusion and provides some strategies and policies for Africa to engage further with the knowledge economy.