Infrastructure, innovation and development

摘要

The absence of adequate infrastructure services is one of the main problems that hinder efforts to develop Africa. Technology and innovation are the engines of economic growth. With the globalisation of trade and investment, technological capabilities are a source of competitive advantage. While infrastructure development and technological development are two of the most important areas of development policy, practitioners and academics alike tend to consider them as separate issues. The focus of infrastructure development in recent years has shifted from merely construction of physical facilities to appropriate provision of services. Environmental and social factors have become part of infrastructure development and planning. Yet most infrastructure projects are not explicitly linked to technological development efforts.