Navigating Geopolitical Change in Pursuit of Innovation; Positing Knowledge-Driven Economic Growth and Productivity

The U.S – China technology and geopolitical rivalry culminating a trade war, the banning of Huawei from America’s technology infrastructure as well as retaliatory tariffs hold grave implications for the global economy. In this fast-changing geopolitical context, China has risen in innovation rakings and continues to make significant gains in machine learning, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, its geopolitical approach has culminated in infrastructure investments via the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and a state-led model of economic development. This paper outlines the nature of the geopolitical rivalry between the both superpowers with implications for Cameroon as well as its design and implementation of an innovative framework vis-à-vis the BRI and Chinese innovation. The findings suggest that verifiable technological transfers via infrastructure projects will add to the existing stock of knowledge and increase Cameroon’s industry competitiveness via increased digitization across the board. Rather than take a confrontational stance to Africa, the U.S. should leverage its more advanced service sector as the basis for economic development, emphasising skills and technology transfers that will upskill the workforce in a manner consistent with U.S. technology and best practices