Knowledge Economy is Key to Job Creation in Africa

By Ben Nakomo

The Economic Commission for Africa is hosting a weeklong meeting aimed at using advances in information and communications technology to boost employment on the continent. Discussions at the fifth meeting of the Committee on Development Information (CODI-V), is currently taking place in Addis Ababa, and expected to run from 1-4 May. Its focus is on the theme “Employment and the Knowledge Economy in Africa”. The opening session took place at 10am on Tuesday, May 1, 2007 in Conference Room One, UNCC, Addis Ababa. The premise of the meeting hinges on the truism that ICTs allow researchers in different locations to work together, enhancing productivity and often resulting in rapid advances in research and development. This generates new knowledge and technologies, fuelling development further and, consequently, employment.

However, there is also a downside and caution is needed. The knowledge economy, with its rising skills and technological intensity, is widening the divide between the “knowledge haves” and the “knowledge have-nots”. This potentially means limited opportunities in the labour market and in society.

So increasing employment linked to the knowledge economy is of the utmost importance. CODI-V is analysing the contribution of information, knowledge and technology to job creation, and come up with options to close the gap.

Alongside the main CODI event, ECA – in conjunction with the Canadian government – will be presenting awards for government and institutional innovation in the use of ICTs aimed at reaching the Millennium Development Goals. The Technology in Government in Africa (TIGA) awards are the first of their kind, sponsored by the Finnish and Italian governments, Ethiopian Airlines, Microsoft and Nokia Siemens Network.

Boosting knowledge economy in Africa vital, but caution needed

In his opening address to the fifth Committee on Development Information (CODI-V), Abdoulie Janneh, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa – which is hosting the event – said the continent cannot ignore the basic fact that the knowledge economy is key to long term growth.

“Do we have the requisite skills base, the right workforce or what is now termed ‘knowledge workers', that can lead this continent into the knowledge age and economy?” he asked.

But he pointed out that there were dangers associated with rising numbers of knowledge workers. Not only could they be lost to countries where the knowledge industries were more advanced, but also the demand for less-skilled employees could be at risk.

“Africa could again be disadvantaged, aggravating unemployment problems and reducing the human resource capacity to support its homegrown and meaningful knowledge enterprises,” he said.

“To avert this, African countries need to create the means by which they can utilize their skilled workforce, and address how the existing workforce can be re-skilled to meet new challenges.”

“The future of employment creation in Africa's knowledge economy depends on what actions we take now,” Janneh stressed.

Other speakers noted the importance of “embedding” information technology to keep up the growth momentum in Africa. This was particularly important for promoting e-health - a fundamental opportunity to boost medical care on the continent.

The keynote speaker, Prof. Yaw Nyarko of New York University, noted that Africa was well placed to take advantage the knowledge economy to propel the continent forwards, because of two important factors. Africans, he said, were enthusiastic about education, vital for the sector's development. And secondly, there was the legendary entrepreneurial spirit which was well suited to individualistic knowledge economy activities. He stressed that Africa should not miss out on the technological revolution.

In the course of the weeklong meeting, four CODI sub-committees will look at the knowledge economy and employment issue from the perspective of data, geoinformation, libraries, and ICT.

The meeting - which brings together government experts, practitioners and observers - will then assess the status of the knowledge economy in Africa and call for recommendations to boost employment in this sector. Ultimately, it will set the agenda for ECA's two-year programme on ICT, Science and Technology for Development.

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