Science, Technology and Innovation (STI): Synergic Cooperative and Collaborative Relations Between China and Africa

This chapter focuses on the lessons to be learned by African countries and the benefits Africa will enjoy by cooperating and collaborating with China’s STI initiatives. It briefly highlights the STI challenges in African countries and reflects on the mandate of China’s Science, Technology, and Innovation and how this can fit within the efforts to advance the use of knowledge for the sustainable development of Africa. The chapter then looks at the role of the China STI initiatives in catalysing action within the African continent. It also briefly reviews some key African STI initiatives and assesses how the China STI initiatives can contribute to and promote already existing structures and programs within Africa. The chapter maps out the coherence and expected synergies between the China STI objectives and the ongoing African initiatives. Finally, it concludes that the China STI initiatives can fit well to enhance the utilization of knowledge for the development of African countries and that it holds the promise to spur and support the African initiatives directed at advancing STI in the continent through synergistic cooperation and collaboration with China.