Science, technology and innovation in Africa: Stereotypes, realities and prospects

Occupation: Deputy-Director, Institute for African Studies, RAS; Professor
Affiliation: Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

Journal name

Asia and Africa Today

Edition

Issue 4

Pages

15-24

Abstract

The article uses a large statistical and factual material to analyze the current state of R & D in Africa in order to identify specific niches for establishing Russian-African cooperation in the field of science and technology, which, being of interest to both sides, will allow the Russian Federation to fully realize its competitive advantages in this field, on the one hand, and the African countries to facilitate the solution of their development goals, on the other. Africa is focused on the latest trends in science and breakthrough technologies - digitalization, biotech, the use of non-traditional energy sources, but at the same time on harnessing the potential of traditional knowledge of Africans about nature and human beings.

For several decades African countries have been trying to build a pan-African system of infrastructural and institutional support for collective efforts in the field of science and technology. The pan-African strategy for STI development is due to be fulfilled by year 2024. In the most branches of science, but more often in the advanced ones, deeply integrated scientific collaborations are gaining strength. Albeit in almost all of them, the African partner plays a subsidiary role, while African laboratories de facto turn into overseas branches of Western research centers

The COVID-19 pandemic has further confirmed the importance of African countries having their own R & D capacities, or at least of geographically diversifying the system of existing scientific collaborations. In these circumstances, Russia is facing the prospect of expanding its cooperation with African countries in the field of science, technology and innovation, which is particularly beneficial and attractive for both sides.

Keywords

development, science and technology policy, innovation, digitalization, breakthrough technologies, sanctions, "brain drain"

Received

10.02.2021

Publication date

28.04.2021

Number of characters

36647

Cite

GOST	Fituni L. Science, technology and innovation in Africa: Stereotypes, realities and prospects // Asia and Africa Today – 2021. – Issue 4 C. 15-24 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://asaf-today.ru/S032150750014642-8-1 (circulation date: 24.05.2025). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750014642-8
MLA	Fituni, Leonid L "Science, technology and innovation in Africa: Stereotypes, realities and prospects." Asia and Africa Today 4 (2021):15-24. DOI: 10.31857/S032150750014642-8
APA	Fituni L. (2021). Science, technology and innovation in Africa: Stereotypes, realities and prospects. Asia and Africa Today (4), pp.15-24 DOI: 10.31857/S032150750014642-8

100 rub.

When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 1, views: 1141

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. UNESCO 2021. UISstat. http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SCN_DS&lang=en (accessed 07.01.2021)

2. 2021 Global R&D Funding Forecast. https://forecast.rdworldonline.com/product/2021-global-rd-funding-forecast/ (accessed 07.01.2021)

3. UNESCO Science Report: towards 2030. Paris: UNESCO. 2015.

4. World Development Indicators. Science & technology. https://databank.worldbank.org/reports.aspx?source=2&series=IP.JRN.ARTC.SC&country=SSF,DZA,EGY,LBY,TUN,MAR (accessed 25.01.2021)

5. Marincola E., Kariuki T. Quality research in Africa and why it is important. https://pubs.acs.org/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1021/acsomega.0c04327&ref=pdf (accessed 01.02.2021)

6. Colquhoun D. (2003).Challenging the tyranny of impact factors. Nature, 423, 479 https://doi.org/10.1038/423479a (accessed 05.02.2021)

7. Kiesslich T., Beyreis M., Zimmermann G. et al. Citation inequality and the Journal Impact Factor: median, mean, (does it) matter? Scientometrics. 126, 1249-1269 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-020-03812-y (accessed 05.02.2021)

8. Bagues Manuel F., Sylos-Labini Mauro, Zinovyeva Natalia. (2017). A walk on the wild side: 'Predatory' journals and information asymmetries in scientific evaluations. IZA Discussion Papers, № 11041, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn. http://hdl.handle.net/10419/171025 (accessed 05.02.2021)

9. Kurt S. (2018). Why do authors publish in predatory journals? Learned Publishing, 31(2), 141-147.

10. Demir S. (2018). Predatory journals: Who publishes in them and why? Journal of Informetrics, 2018. Vol. 12, № 4. Pp. 1296-1311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2018.10.008 (accessed 08.02.2021)

11. Macháček V., Srholec M. (2021) Predatory publishing in Scopus: evidence on crosscountry differences. Scientometrics. https. Springer.://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-020-03852-4 (accessed 08.02.2021)

12. Фитуни Л.Л. Глобальное управление и развитие науки в странахАфрики. Ученые записки Института Африки РАН. 2015. № 3 (34). С. 38-43.

13. Fituni L. (2015). Global governance and development of science in the countries of Africa.Journal of the Institute for African Studies. Moscow. № 3. Pp. 38-43. (In Russ.)

14. WIPO. The Global Innovation Index 2020. Geneva. https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_gii_2020.pdf (accessed 05.02.2021)