African Development Bank Group

Knowledge Management Strategy 2022-2031

Consultations with stakeholders

As part of the consultations process, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is pleased to
solicit comments from stakeholders on its Knowledge Management Strategy (KMS) 2022-2031.
The objective of these consultations is to solicit stakeholders’ views on (i) the current state of
knowledge management in the AfDB and in Regional Member Countries (RMCs), and (ii) the
strategic orientations of the AfDB’s knowledge management efforts during the 2022-2031 period.

The AfDB has long recognized the critical role of knowledge in increasing the development impact
of its assistance to RMCs. Strengthening knowledge management has, therefore, featured among
the AfDB’s top priorities. The AfDB has adopted several Knowledge Management Strategies
(KMS) to effectively deliver on this important priority, including KMS 2005-2007, KMS 2008-
2012 and KMS 2015-2020. KMS 2022-2031 will succeed KMS 2015-2020. The vision of KMS
2022-2031 will be to transform the AfDB into the premier provider of the knowledge RMCs need
to achieve superior outcomes on their development priorities.

The preparation of KMS 2022-2031 follows a participatory approach entailing consultations with
a wide range of internal and external knowledge stakeholders (AfDB staff, government officials,
non-state actors in RMCs, and development partners). Stakeholders may wish to focus their
comments/suggestions on the following points:

1. How successful do you think the Bank has been in transforming itself into the premier knowledge
institution in Africa? In your opinion, what have been the successes achieved by the Bank? What
have been the main challenges impeding further progress?
2. What do you think of the Bank’s internal systems (including IT tools, access to knowledge resources)
that support knowledge management activities? How do you think they could be improved?
3. Still based on your experience in knowledge management, in which ways do you think the Bank
should strategically engage/partner with knowledge stakeholders (government officials, the private
sector, research/academic institutions, think tanks, development partners, etc.) at the national,
regional, and continental levels to improve knowledge management on the continent?
4. How do you think we can improve the relevance of knowledge for Operations and policy dialogue?
Please provide concrete mechanisms that can help strengthen the feedback loop between
knowledge/research and Operations
5. What incentive measures do you think would be the best to strengthen Bank staff’s engagement in
knowledge management?
6. What do you think of the relevance of the proposed strategic pillars of the KMS 2022-2026)? Are
they sufficiently aligned with the current needs of the Bank and its Regional Member Countries?
7. Beyond the issues discussed in the draft KMS 2022-2026), are there other issues the Bank should
take into consideration as priority while developing its knowledge management strategy?
8. Are there any other comments or suggestions that you may want to share?

Stakeholders may send their comments/suggestions to the following e-mail address:

kms2031@afdb.org

The Draft KMS 2022-2031 for comments is attached.

Attachment

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2022-2031

DRAFT
PUBLISHED FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ONLY

Office of the Chief Economist, VP ECVP

February 2022
Disclaimer
This document is being published for public consultation before its consideration by the
AFDB’s Board of Directors. The updated version will be made publicly available following
the Board’s consideration and approval in accordance with the Bank’s
Disclosure and Access to Information Policy.
Any questions or comments can be sent to: kms2031@afdb.org
 Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................ i
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... ii
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................................... v
I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 1
II. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: SOME ANALYTICAL
PERSPECTIVES ........................................................................................................................... 1
2.1 What is Knowledge Management? .................................................................................................. 1
2.2 Knowledge Management and Development .................................................................................... 2
III. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN AFRICA: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND
PROSPECTS .................................................................................................................................. 2
3.1 Knowledge Needs of Africa............................................................................................................. 2
3.2 Trends in Knowledge Management in Africa .................................................................................. 4
3.3 Development Partners’ Response to Africa’s Knowledge Needs .................................................... 4
IV. ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES OF THE BANK’S KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT EFFORTS: LESSONS LEARNED FROM RECENT ASSESSMENTS ... 5
4.1 Previous Institutional Efforts Aimed at Strengthening Knowledge Management ........................... 5
4.2 The Bank’s Achievements in Knowledge Management .................................................................. 5
4.3 Remaining Challenges of Knowledge Management ........................................................................ 6
V. EXPERIENCE OF OTHER DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS .................................................... 7
VI. MOVING THE BANK TOWARD A DEVELOPMENT KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTION .... 8
VII. BANK GROUP KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2022-2031 ........................... 9
7.1 Why does the Bank need a Knowledge Management Strategy?...................................................... 9
7.2 Key Guiding Principles .................................................................................................................... 9
7.3 Vision and Overarching Objective................................................................................................. 11
7.4 Strategic Pillars .............................................................................................................................. 11
7.5 Synergies between the KMS and other Bank Strategies ............................................................... 17
7.6 Alignment ...................................................................................................................................... 18
7.7 Financing the KMS ........................................................................................................................ 18
7.8 Implementation Arrangements....................................................................................................... 18
7.9 Monitoring and Evaluation ............................................................................................................ 19
7.10 Risks and Mitigating Measures ...................................................................................................... 19
VIII. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION .......................................................................... 20
8.1 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 20
8.2 Recommendation ........................................................................................................................... 20
ANNEXES ................................................................................................................................................... 21
 Annex 1: Glossary of Knowledge Management Terms ............................................................................. I
Annex 2: Structure of RMCs’ Development Knowledge Needs ............................................................ III
Annex 3: RMCs’ Scores on the UNDP’s Global Knowledge Index, 2020............................................. IV
Annex 4: Some Selected Examples of Bank Group Knowledge’s Contributions to Reforms in RMCs . V
Annex 5: The SWOT Analysis of the Bank’s Knowledge Management Function ................................ VI
Annex 6: Knowledge Prioritization in Selected Bank Corporate Strategies and Policies ................... VIII
Annex 7: Theory of Change of the Knowledge Management Strategy 2022-2031 ................................ XI
Annex 8: Participatory Approach in the preparation of the Knowledge Management Strategy 2022-
2031 ............................................................................................................................................. XII
Annex 9: Guidance Provided by CODE during Meetings of 31st March 2021 and 19th October 2021 and
Actions Taken ............................................................................................................................. XIII
Annex 10: Key Messages on Knowledge Partnerships from the Evaluation of Partnerships at the AfDB
XV
Annex 11: KMS 2022-2031 Results Framework ................................................................................XVII
Annex 12: Schedule for the Preparation of the KMS 2022 - 2031 .....................................................XXII

Box
Box 1: Bank Group Knowledge Products……………………………………………………….4
Box 2: MDBs as Knowledge and Learning Institutions…………………………………………7
Figures
Figure 1: The Bank’s Knowledge Management Ecosystem…………………………………….19
Tables
Table 1: Main Risks and their Mitigation……………………………..…………………..……20
Acknowledgements

This report was prepared in the Chief Economist and Vice-Presidency for Economic
Governance and Knowledge Management Complex (ECVP), under the overall
guidance and supervision of Kevin Chika Urama, Acting Chief Economist and Vice-President.

The preparation of the report was led and coordinated by Ferdinand Bakoup, Lead Economist,
ECVP, with a team consisting of Jacob Oduor (Chief Country Economist, ECCE/COTZ), Richard
Schiere (Chief Quality Assurance Officer, SNOQ), Thierry Kangoye (Principal Strategy Officer
(SNSP), Andinet Woldemichael (Principal Research Economist, ECMR), Bumi Camara (Senior
Country Economist, ECCE/COGH), Duncan O. Ouma (Senior Country Economist, ECCE/COSD),
and Theo Braimah Awanzam (Senior Macroeconomist, ECCE/COGH).

The other members of the Bank-wide Task team included the following:

Callixte Kambanda (Division Manager, PESR), Nyawira Ndambuki (Manager, Staff Training and
Development Division, CHHR), Hazem Mohamed Mokhtar Elwassimy (Manager, Strategy and
Transactions Support Division, PINS), Ben Paul Mungyereza (Manager, ECST), Stefan Muller
(Lead Country Programme Coordinator, RDVP), Vincent Castel (Regional Sector Manager,
Agriculture and Human Development, AHAI), Basil Jones (Gender Programme and Policy
Coordinator, AHGC), Eric K. Ogunleye (Advisor to the Chief Economist, ECVP), Densil Magume
(Advisor to the Vice-President Finance and CFO, FNVP), Amadou Boly (Special Assistant to the
Chief Economist, ECVP), David Ashiagbor (Chief financial Sector Strategy Officer, PIFD),
Mohamadou Hayatou (Chief Private Strategy Officer, PINS), Emile Chancelier Kemayou, (Chief
Fragility and Resilience Officer, RDTS), Robert Maate (Chief Statistician, ECST), Jonathan
Kaliwata (O-i-C, CHIS.0), Uche Duru (Chief Environmental and Social Safeguards Compliance
Officer, SNSC), Riadh Ben Messaoud (Principal Fragility and Policy Officer, RDTS), Bacar
Attoumane Saindou (Principal Capacity Development Officer, ECAD), Julius Chupezi Tieguhong
(Chief Forestry Officer, ECNR), Aissatou Ba-Okotie (Chief Business Coordinator, AHHD),
Carlos Mollinedo (Energy Economist/Policy Specialist, PESR), Yannis Arvanitis (Principal
Governance Officer, ECGF), Ghada Abuzaid (Principal Programme Coordinator, PITD), James
Austere Quotek Nganga (Principal Ports and Maritime Transport Officer, PICU), Zodwa Florence
Mabuza (Principal Regional Integration Officer, RDRI), Richard Uku (Consultant, PCER), Roza
Mamuye Bora (Senior Statistician, ECST), Yusef Hatira (Principal Environmental Officer,
SNSC), Jayne Musumba (Principal Knowledge Management Officer, BDEV), Kidanua Abera
Gizaw (Senior Climate Finance Officer, PECG), Margaret Kamau (Senior Climate Change and
Green Growth Officer, PECG), Raky Maryse Gassama Coly (Senior Knowledge Management
Officer, BDEV), Vivianus Ngong (Principal Budget Officer, SNPB).

The following staff members peer-reviewed this report or the Approach Paper: Yasser Ahmad
(Chief Country Programme Officer, RDVP), Audrey Chouchane (Lead Economist, ECVP), Guy-
Blaise Nkamleu (Lead Economist, ECVP), Anthony Simpasa (Lead Economist, ECVP), Toussaint
D. Houeninvo (Chief Country Economist, ECVP), Paul Mpuga (Chief Country Economist,
ECVP), Tom Mboya Owiyo (Advisor to the Vice-President Agriculture, Human and Social
Development, AHVP), Carina Sugden (Chief Governance Officer, ECVP), Aissa Toure Sarr
(Country Manager, RDVP), Nicholas Williams (Division Manager, PIVP).

i
 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

ADB African Development Bank

ADF African Development Fund
AEO African Economic Outlook
AFAWA Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa
AfCFTA African Continental Free Trade Area
AFD Agence Française de Développement
AGTF Africa Growing Together Fund
AHHD Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department
AIH Africa Information Highway
ALSF Africa Legal Support Facility
ARII Africa Regional Integration Index
AUC African Union Commission
AVOI African Visa Openness Index
AVU African Virtual University
BDEV Bank’s Development Evaluation Department
CDNs Country Diagnostic Notes
CDS Capacity Development Strategy
CHIS Corporate Information Technology Department
CIFs Climate Investment Funds
CODE Committee on Operations and Development Effectiveness
CR Completion Report
CRFA Country Resilience and Fragility Assessment
CRP Corporate Recognition Program
CSS Climate Safeguards System (CSS)
CSP Country Strategy Paper
DBDM Development and Business Delivery Model
DFI Development Finance Institutions
ECMR Macroeconomic Policy, Forecasting & Research Department
ECST Bank’s Statistics Department
ECON Economics Complex (former name of the now ECVP Complex)
ECVP Chief Economist and Vice-Presidency for Economic Governance and
Knowledge Management Complex
ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States
EDCF Economic Development Cooperation Fund
EITI Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
EPSA Enhanced Private Sector Assistance
ERI Electricity Regulatory Index
ESW Economic and Sector Work
EVRD Evaluation Results Database
GCI General Capital Increase
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GETF Gender Equality Trust Fund
GTF Governance Trust Fund
HQ Headquarters
IATI International Aid Transparency Initiative
ICT Information and Communication Technologies
ii
IDEV Independent Development Evaluation
IE Impact Evaluations
IFI International Financial Institutions
IMF International Monetary Fund
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
KASP Knowledge, Advisory Services, Network-type, and Policy Dialogue
Partnerships
KBEs Knowledge-Based Economies
KEI Knowledge Economy Index
KMC Knowledge Management Committee
KM Knowledge Management
KMS Bank’s Knowledge Management Strategy
MARS Management Action Record System
MDBs Multilateral Development Banks
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MIC Middle Income Country
MICTAF Middle-Income Countries Technical Assistance Fund
NDCs Nationally Determined Contributions
NDGs National Development Goals
ODP Open Data Platforms
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
OPEV Operations Evaluation Department
OPSCOM Operations Committee
PCR Project Completion Reports
PEP Partnership for Economic Policy
PESR Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulation Department
PEVP Power, Energy, Climate & Green Growth Complex
PHRDG Policy and Human Resources Development Grant
PITD Industrial and Trade Development Department
PRASA Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa
QAF Quality Assurance Framework for knowledge work
R&D Research and Development
RDN Regional Diagnostic Note
RDRI Regional Development and Regional Integration Department
RECs Regional Economic Communities
RMC Regional Member Country
RISF Regional Integration Strategic Framework
RISP Regional Integration Strategy Paper
SDGs Sustainable Development Goals
SESP Self-Evaluation Systems and Processes
SOEs State Owned Enterprises
STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
TA Technical Assistance
TAAT Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation
TBI Tony Blair Institute
ToC Theory of Change
TYS Ten-Year Strategy
TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training

iii
UN United Nations
UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNECA United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
UNDP GKI United Nations Development Programme’s Global Knowledge Index
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization
XSRs Expanded Supervision Reports
YEI MDTF Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund

iv
 Executive Summary

1. This report aims to propose a Knowledge Management Strategy (KMS) for the Bank Group
for the period 2022-2031. This KMS will succeed the KMS 2015-2020, which the Board approved
in June 2015 to mainstream knowledge in the Bank’s lending operations and development dialogue
with Regional Member Countries (RMCs). On 31 March 2021, the Board’s Committee on
Operations and Development Effectiveness (CODE) approved Management’s request to extend
the validity period of KMS 2015-2020 to 31st March 2022.

2. On 19 October 2021, CODE considered the Approach Paper for the KMS. On that occasion,
CODE concurred with the approach, including the strategic pillars of the KMS, and the emphasis
placed on (i) the quality of knowledge work over quantity, (ii) selectivity in Bank knowledge work,
(iii) partnerships in Bank knowledge work, including with institutions of higher education, (iv) the
need to strengthen incentives for Bank staff to engage more in knowledge work, (v) demand and
supply as key drivers of knowledge work, and (vi) developing a theory of change to underpin the
KMS. CODE members also requested management to (i) further consolidate the justification for a
knowledge management strategy for the Bank, (ii) ensure alignment of the costs of implementing
the KMS with the Bank’s budgetary framework, (iii) better reflect the views of external
stakeholders in the Results Measurement Framework (RMF), (iv) further clarify how the Bank’s
approach to selectivity will be applied to knowledge work, and (v) to ensure that the preparation
of the KMS is completed for Board approval as per the indicated timeline. The guidance provided
by CODE has been considered in preparing this KMS report.
3. This KMS draws from assessments of the Bank’s knowledge management efforts, which
include the KMS 2015-2020 Completion Report (CR), the internal audit report of Research and
Knowledge Management in the Bank, the review of Economic and Sector Work (ESW) in the
Bank conducted by the Operations Evaluation Department (OPEV) in 2013. It also draws from the
evaluation of the Bank’s partnerships over the 2008-2019 period conducted by BDEV in 2021, the
experience of other International Financial Institutions (IFI), and consultations carried out by the
Bank-wide KMS task team. A review of the assessments mentioned above suggests that, overall,
the Bank’s knowledge management efforts have recorded some achievements even though the
Bank’s knowledge work continues to face major challenges.
4. In harnessing the Bank’s lessons and experiences to effectively tap into the full knowledge
potential to maximize the development impact of its engagements in RMCs, the KMS will be
guided by five (5) key principles, namely: demand-driven knowledge work, encouraging staff
creativity and foresight, adherence to the knowledge management’s theory of change, encouraging
partnerships, and selectivity. The vision of the KMS will be to transform the Bank into the premier
provider of the knowledge RMCs need to achieve superior outcomes on their development
priorities. To achieve this vision, the overarching objective of the KMS will be to leverage
knowledge to strengthen development effectiveness in RMCs, both at country and regional levels.

5. The KMS will be articulated around two strategic pillars: Pillar 1: Strengthening the
Bank’s internal environment for knowledge management; and Pillar 2: Strengthening the feedback
loops between knowledge and Bank engagement in RMCs. The objective of Pillar 1 will be to make
the Bank’s internal environment more attractive for knowledge management more generally. Pillar

v
2’s objective will be to leverage knowledge work to increase the development impact of Bank
engagements in RMCs. To ensure focused engagement at country and regional levels where the
Bank’s knowledge work matters the most, the KMS will apply selectivity to the choice of topics
for knowledge work. Selectivity will be based on: (i) the country/region/continent’s most pressing
development needs and priorities as identified in the country/regional/continental/global
development strategies and reflected in Bank Country Strategy Papers (CSPs)/Regional
Integration Strategy Papers (RISPs)/continental/global commitments and
country/regional/continental/global work programs; and (ii) the Bank’s comparative advantage
and approach to selectivity as defined in the document on sharpening the Bank’s strategic focus.

6. This KMS is fully aligned with the objectives of the Bank’s corporate commitments,
including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris climate change
agreement, African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, the 7th General Capital Increase (GCI-VII) and the
fifteenth replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF-15). It is also well aligned with
the objectives of the Bank’s current Ten-Year Strategy (TYS) 2013-2022 and its successor under
preparation; and with the Bank’s operational High 5 priorities. To finance the implementation of
the KMS, the Bank will supplement its sources of financing with the strengthened knowledge
partnerships, which will be nurtured during the implementation of this strategy. The Chief
Economist and Vice-Presidency for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management (ECVP)
Complex will coordinate the execution of the KMS. The Knowledge Management Committee
(KMC) will be operationalized to strengthen this knowledge work coordination. A mid-term
review will be carried out in 2026. An end-term evaluation will be caried out in 2030 to assess its
relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability, and to draw lessons for future directions of
knowledge work across the Bank.
7. The Board of Directors is invited to consider and approve the KMS 2022-2031 for the Bank
Group.

vi
I. INTRODUCTION

1. This report aims to propose a Knowledge Management Strategy (KMS) for the Bank Group
for the period 2022-2031. This KMS will succeed KMS 2015-2020, which the Board approved in
June 2015 to mainstream knowledge in the Bank’s lending operations and development dialogue
with RMCs. On 31 March 2021, CODE approved Management’s request to extend the validity
period of the KMS 2015-2020 to 31 March 2022.

2. On 19 October 2021, CODE considered the Approach Paper for the KMS. On that occasion,
CODE concurred with the approach, including the strategic pillars of the KMS, and the emphasis
placed on (i) the quality of knowledge work over quantity, (ii) selectivity in Bank knowledge work,
(iii) partnerships in Bank knowledge work, including with institutions of higher education, (iv) the
need to strengthen incentives for Bank staff to engage more in knowledge work, (iv) demand and
supply as key drivers of knowledge work, and (v) developing a theory of change to underpin the
KMS. CODE members also requested management to (i) further consolidate the justification for a
knowledge management strategy for the Bank, (ii) ensure alignment of the costs of implementing
the KMS with the Bank’s budgetary framework, (iii) better reflect the views of external
stakeholders in the RMF, (iv) further clarify how the Bank’s approach to selectivity will be applied
to knowledge work, and (v) to ensure that the preparation of the KMS is completed for Board
approval as per the indicated timeline. The guidance provided by CODE has been considered in
preparing this KMS report.

3. The rest of this report is structured as follows: Section II provides some analytical perspectives
on knowledge management and development. Section III examines knowledge management in
Africa. Section IV discusses the achievements and challenges of the Bank’s past knowledge
management efforts, drawing from available recent assessments. Section V explores the
experiences of other development partners in knowledge management. Section VI discusses the
requirements for moving the Bank toward a development knowledge institution. Section VII
presents the proposed Bank’s KMS for the 2022-2031 period. Section VIII presents the conclusion
and recommendation.

II. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: SOME ANALYTICAL

PERSPECTIVES

2.1 What is Knowledge Management?

4. Knowledge management is the design and implementation of procedures and systems
enabling knowledge needs to be systematically identified, and the corresponding knowledge
solutions to be developed, codified, stored, and shared for effective use.
5. What is knowledge? Knowledge is generally understood as the body of facts and evidence-
backed understanding of causal relationships in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) that enable economic agents to increase productivity and produce various
types of goods and services in all sectors of the economy, including the Bank’s High 5s priority
sectors, necessary to elevate and sustain the standard of living of societies. This is often referred

1
to as ‘hard’ knowledge. In addition to hard knowledge there are various other types of knowledge,
including ‘soft’ knowledge or development knowledge, explicit/codified knowledge, public good
knowledge, private good knowledge, tacit/implicit knowledge, global knowledge, and local
knowledge. Annex 1 presents a glossary of knowledge management terms. The tremendous
advances made in hard knowledge over the centuries have enabled dramatic improvements in the
quality of human life. However, the prevailing widespread poverty and inequalities in various parts
of the world certainly attest to the notion that, in contrast to hard knowledge development
knowledge is more of an art than a science.
6. Where does knowledge and its continuous accumulation over time come from? Knowledge
comes from good public policies and practice, which create an enabling environment in which the
right incentives are provided to economic agents to identify their knowledge needs, and to acquire,
create, codify, store, and use appropriate knowledge solutions. Good public policies are the product
of policymakers’ use of development knowledge derived from analytical work that is driven by
many factors, including good quality data and statistics.
2.2 Knowledge Management and Development
7. Economists have long studied the process of economic growth, a key determinant of nations’
standards of living and its variations over time and space. They have concluded that, although
many factors influence this process, improvements in productivity driven mainly by the
accumulation of knowledge, play a major role. Studies show that more than half the variations in
income per capita across countries and more than half the variations in income per capita growth
rates across countries are explained by differences in knowledge-driven productivity and its
growth rates across countriesi. In a nutshell, knowledge plays a larger part than factor accumulation
(physical capital and labor) in nations’ long-term growth and development process. Given this,
supporting RMCs’ efforts to discover and manage their development knowledge is probably the
most critical contribution development partners, including the Bank, can make to the development
efforts of RMCs.

III. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN AFRICA: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND

PROSPECTS

8. Strengthening the knowledge content of development assistance will ultimately result from
stronger partnerships between the Bank and its RMCs and other key stakeholders. It is, therefore,
important to understand the practices and the gaps in knowledge management in Africa. This
section, therefore, assesses Africa’s current knowledge management landscape and the
development partners’ assistance to African countries in bridging the knowledge gap.
3.1 Knowledge Needs of Africa

9. Despite some progress achieved since the 1990’, African countries continue to face
daunting challenges in their quest for economic prosperity, and the reduction of poverty and
inequalities. In this setting, timely availability of appropriate knowledge solutions and their use by
policymakers are key determining factors. Furthermore, the diversity of African countries’
contexts— commodities-dependent countries, countries in transition, landlocked countries, least
developed countries, low-income countries, middle-income countries, and small island developing
sates—and the variety of macroeconomic choices and positions and other structural and
conjunctural characteristics substantially increase African countries’ knowledge needs. The

2
COVID-19 pandemic has further added to the complexity of the challenges and the policy
remedies that these countries need to design and implement to successfully recover from the
pandemic.

10. African countries need development knowledge to prioritize the various development
objectives, which make up an effective development policy. Thus, African countries first need
knowledge for the prioritization of development objectives (what to do). In this perspective,
although the quest for strong, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth, poverty reduction, job
creation, reduction of inequalities, and resilience to climate change appear to enjoy some
consensus as final development goals to be pursued, the path toward achieving these higher-level
objectives still needs to be illuminated by sound knowledge. African countries, therefore, need a
solid body of established facts and evidence-backed causal relationships among economic and
social variables to help them prioritize various sectors and cross-cutting operating and
intermediate-levels outcomes in their development policy. Progress on these sectors and cross-
cutting outcomes will, in turn, accelerate progress toward the above-mentioned higher-level
objectives. These sectors and cross-cutting themes are infinite. They include: infrastructure, the
Bank’s High 5s (energy, agriculture, industrialization, regional integration, and quality of life),
fragility and resilience, gender equality, STEM, Research and Development (R&D), boundaries
between public and private, security expenditures and development, macroeconomic stability,
local capacity development, private sector development, financial sector development, good
governance, non-inflationary demand, supply, competitiveness, human capital development, urban
development, transport, public financial management, public debt management, green growth,
connectivity, digitization, trade, exchange rates, competition, economic diversification, revenue
mobilization, public and private savings, demographic dividends, civil society participation, etc.

11. At the policy instruments level, RMCs also need the knowledge to prioritize the mix of
policy instruments such as fiscal policy, monetary policy, trade policy, competition policy,
exchange rate policy, regulatory power, law, public expenditure policy, tax policy and
administration, sector policies, as well as other innovative policy instruments they could develop
for the achievement of the sectors and thematic objectives outlined above. RMCs need timely and
reliable statistics to monitor economic and social trends as part of their development policy design
and implementation processes.

12. RMCs need knowledge, not only to prioritize their development goals (what to do), but
also to ensure the successful implementation of prioritized objectives (how to do it). At this level,
policymakers need the knowledge to deliver high-quality development projects that ultimately
deliver development impact, as well as sound evaluation knowledge, which highlights what works,
what does not, why, for whom, and under what circumstances. This knowledge will equip
policymakers to update and improve ongoing policies/strategies/operations/processes and design
sound new policies/strategies/operations/processes. In a nutshell, RMCs need knowledge as much
as money to address their unique development challenges. Annex 2 presents the structure of
RMCs’ knowledge needs.

3
3.2 Trends in Knowledge Management in Africa

13. Although data on the quantity and quality of knowledge generated in Africa is incomplete,
the national systems of African countries to generate, manage and use development knowledge
can broadly be characterized as still developing. In the area of development research, for example,
a Global Development Network’s 2017 report, which assessed the environment for ‘social science
research’, another term for ‘development research’, found challenges in several areas, including
lack of national research strategies, weak local research systems, weak coordination of the main
actors, weak incentives for producing development relevant research, weak alignment of research
with the national issues, the inadequate funding from national resources, weak infrastructure,
inadequate balance between hard or STEM knowledge and development knowledge, research
agendas often driven from outside, weak links between the research community and countries’
policymaking circles, and a still nascent culture of national development debates in many
countries.ii These challenges are aggravated by the underdeveloped national statistical systems that
need improvement to provide all the required inputs for knowledge management.

14. Africa is behind other continents in knowledge generation, management and application.
For example, according to a Lancet’s 2018 publicationiii, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for less than
1% of global research output. The study further reveals that Africa contributes less than 1% of the
global expenditure on R&D, compared to Latin America and the Caribbean (3%), Europe (27%),
Asia (31%) and North America (37%). This partly explains why Africa falls behind other
continents in the achievement of global and national development goals. Achieving major
development aspirations such as the SDGs requires the deployment of knowledge-informed and
skillfully managed strategies, in complex and dynamic socio-economic contexts.

15. In terms of knowledge use, Africa also trails the rest of the world. The UNDP’s Global
Knowledge Index (GKI), which tracks the knowledge performance of countries, places most
African countries at the bottom of the pyramid. Out of the 138 countries included in the sample,
the first African country (Seychelles) is ranked 50 th. The second African country is Mauritius
at position 55th, followed by South Africa (71 st), Egypt (72nd) and Tunisia (82nd)iv. Annex 3
presents African countries’ scores in the UNDP GKI.
3.3 Development Partners’ Response to Africa’s Knowledge Needs

16. Over the

years, development Box 1: Bank Group’s Knowledge Products
partners, including In the broadest sense, all Bank products are knowledge products since they incorporate the
the Bank Group, have knowledge of its staff. In the generally accepted strictest sense, however, IFIs knowledge
products primarily take the form of various reports and data published to disseminate
played increasingly development facts and causalities to various stakeholders. Although a complete taxonomy is
important roles in still to be developed, Bank knowledge products generally comprise knowledge products to
supporting strategies support operations and country/regional/continental/global development dialogues, flagship
reports, of which the African Economic Outlook (AEO) report is the most well-known,
for knowledge research products, statistical products, evaluation products, and technical assistance and
management for capacity building products. The Bank knowledge products also include conferences, seminars,
training activities, as well as supporting communities of practices. Like other IFIs, the Bank
development. has also supported projects aimed at strengthening knowledge capacities, including in the
Notably, they are STEM area, in RMCs.

4
financing the production and management of knowledge to maximize the development impact of
interventions in African countries. Development partners have in recent years adopted models
incorporating knowledge generation and use, as well as integrated knowledge management
approaches, in some development projects, capacity development, and technical assistance. This
is in addition to the stand-alone knowledge products and projects aimed at strengthening
knowledge capacities funded by donors across the continent. Box 1 presents a snapshot of the
Bank’s knowledge products.

IV. ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES OF THE BANK’S KNOWLEDGE

MANAGEMENT EFFORTS: LESSONS LEARNED FROM RECENT
ASSESSMENTS

4.1 Previous Institutional Efforts Aimed at Strengthening Knowledge

Management

17. The Bank has long recognized the critical role of knowledge in increasing the development
impact of its assistance to RMCs. Strengthening knowledge management has, therefore, featured
among the Bank’s top priorities. The Bank has adopted several knowledge management strategies
to effectively deliver on this important priority, including KMS 2005-2007, KMS 2008-2012 and
KMS 2015-2020. The KMS 2015-2020 aimed at transforming the Bank into Africa’s premier
knowledge institution in the areas of the Bank’s mandate. Its overarching objective was to provide
knowledge solutions to Africa’s pressing development challenges in the strategic priorities of the
TYS 2013-2022. KMS 2015-2020 had two pillars: (i) enhancing the effectiveness of the Bank’s
lending operations in addressing Africa’s pressing development needs, and (ii) strengthening the
quality of the Bank’s policy dialogues, advisory services and involvement in the development
debate. To better align its work program to the knowledge and economic governance requirements
of the High 5 Agenda, the ECVP Complex prepared in 2017 a discussion paper titled ‘Knowledge
and Economic Governance at the AfDB – A Roadmap’.
4.2 The Bank’s Achievements in Knowledge Management

18. In 2013, the Bank’s Operations Evaluation Department (OPEV) reviewed the Bank’s
Economic and Sector Work (ESW) produced over the period 2002-2010. The review focused on
the processes and procedures for preparing ESW in the Bank. In 2019, the Auditor General
presented to the Board’s Audit and Finance Committee an internal audit report on research and
knowledge in the Bank. In February 2021, with BDEV’s assistance, the ECVP Complex prepared
the CR of KMS 2015-2020, which was shared with CODE for information. The CR’s main
objectives were to evaluate the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of the Bank
Group’s knowledge management activities in achieving the objectives of KMS 2015-2020 and to
draw lessons for the preparation of the KMS 2022-2031. In April 2021, the BDEV produced an
evaluation of the Bank’s partnerships over the 2008-2019 period. This evaluation also included an
evaluation of knowledge and advisory partnerships.

19. A review of the assessments mentioned above suggests that, overall, the Bank’s knowledge
management efforts have recorded some achievements. In 2016, the Bank created the ECVP

5
Complex under the new Development and Business Delivery Model (DBDM), with a mandate to
lead the Bank’s knowledge management efforts. The ECVP’s creation and mandate represented a
significant organizational improvement for knowledge management. The Bank’s knowledge
products have also supported key structural reform processes in RMCs and contributed to global
and continental reforms actions. Its main flagship report, the African Economic Outlook report,
reaches a high proportion of policymakers and development stakeholders. The Bank’s statistics
work has carried out award-winning works, including the International Comparison Programme,
which generates Purchasing Power Parities (PPP) that compare the competitive advantages of
different African economies, and the African Information Highway, a flagship data platform used
by several international organizations, including the International Monetary Fund, as a key source
of data on African countries. Knowledge management is progressively being mainstreamed in
major Bank policies and strategies and recognized as a key ingredient for achieving their respective
objectives. Bank staff have also published research papers in peer-reviewed knowledge
dissemination outlets, including the Bank’s working papers series, Africa Economic Brief series,
the African Development Review, and other external journals. Annex 4 presents some selected
examples of Bank Group knowledge products’ contributions to reforms in RMCs.
4.3 Remaining Challenges of Knowledge Management

20. From the assessments mentioned in Paragraph 18, the Bank’s knowledge work faces
significant challenges despite the achievements discussed in Paragraph 19. These challenges
include a lack of clear and common understanding of knowledge work and its application in
operations of the Bank and development dialogues, weak accountability and coordination of
knowledge work, uneven quality assurance process for knowledge work, the untimeliness of
knowledge work, insufficient incentive systems to encourage knowledge work, weak strategic
partnerships with other key knowledge stakeholders, inadequate management of tacit knowledge,
lack of adequate resources to implement the Bank’s knowledge management efforts, insufficient
funding for the Bank’s knowledge work, poor dissemination of knowledge work, and still
inadequate leverage of IT solutions to strengthen knowledge management despite significant
recent advances in this area. In addition, there is also the need to (i) further strengthen the use of
lessons from relevant BDEV’s evaluations to ensure the Bank’s lending activities are impactful,
(ii) make further progress in the Bank’s statistics work and its critical role in Bank’s development
assistance, including project selection, implementation, and evaluation, and (iii) better
communicate the Bank’s knowledge work to increase its uptake by policymakers in RMCs.
21. The resulting outcome of the above challenges is the weak feedback loops between Bank
knowledge products and operations. This is one of the most important findings from assessments
of Bank knowledge management efforts. These challenges, widely acknowledged by stakeholders,
are reflective of an over-reliance on financial leverage. Staff surveys conducted as part of KMS
2015-2020 CR revealed that 28 percent of Bank employees rated the level of usage of knowledge
products for priority setting as high, and four (4) percent rated it as very high. Among external
stakeholders, the corresponding proportions were almost the same. About 30 percent rated the
level of usage of knowledge products for priority setting as high; one (1) percent rated it as very
high.

6
V. EXPERIENCE OF OTHER DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

22. The practice of strengthening knowledge management to increase the development impact
of lending and development dialogue
Box 2: MDBs as Knowledge and Learning Institutions
gained prominence in the development
community in the mid-1990s (see Box The relevance of MDBs came under doubt in the 1990s. Many
stakeholders claimed that after more than five decades of existence,
2). Since then, knowledge management MDBs had not succeeded in achieving their mandate, which was to
has occupied center stage in IFIs’ reduce poverty in the developing world. These stakeholders claimed
development assistance. In IFIs, efforts that MDBs had little to show for the huge financial resources they
had transferred to developing countries. To address these
to improve operational quality have challenges, MDBs introduced reforms aimed at putting knowledge
often prioritized knowledge and the at the center of their development assistance. More than the transfer
of financial resources, the transfer of knowledge to their client
development of a knowledge countries was to become the MDBs’ main guiding principle. Under
management strategy. The IFIs’ this new model, MDBs would become true knowledge and learning
knowledge management strategies organizations, which continuously learn from their experiences to
transform themselves and enhance their capacity to create results
have generally prioritized knowledge through high quality knowledge. The challenge is not necessarily to
to support operations, focusing on three create knowledge, but to integrate this knowledge into the
components of the value chain. These organization’s business value chain to produce development results.
About three decades later, available assessments conclude that MDBs
are: (i) knowledge needs identification, have not yet achieved this objective.
knowledge generation, capturing,
codification, storing, and retrieval; (ii) knowledge packaging, dissemination and sharing; and (iii)
knowledge utilization support. Knowledge needs identification and knowledge generation
involves building institutional capacity to generate knowledge for lending, development dialogues,
advisory services, and engagement in the global, regional, and country-level development debates.
Knowledge packaging and dissemination focus on making knowledge user-friendly and easily
accessible to policymakers, thereby improving the impact of IFIs’ operations. Knowledge
utilization support involves working beyond publication to reflect the generated knowledge on the
quality of the IFIs’ operations.

23. Depending on their respective efforts towards strengthening knowledge management,

institutional cultures and challenges they face, different IFIs are positioned differently in the
knowledge management effectiveness space. In 2021, the World Bank prepared a strategic
framework to realize its knowledge potential, which aims to address three main challenges it faces,
which include (i) increasing the relevance, quality, and impact of its knowledge products, (ii)
improving knowledge flows and collaboration, and (iii) improving its capacity to learn from its
operations. The Asian Development Bank’s Knowledge Management Action Plan (2021-2025)
aims to invest in people and culture, improve processes and systems, and strengthen relationships.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)’s vision for knowledge
management is for an integrated system supporting EBRD investments and policy work and linked
with external partners. The challenges to effective knowledge management at the United-Nations
Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) revolves around (i) leveraging new technologies, (ii)
strengthening incentives for staff, and (iii) improving the reliability, timeliness and relevance of
statistical data collection, and external observers’ opinion about UNECA’s ability to provide
policymakers with the best knowledge-based information.

7
VI. MOVING THE BANK TOWARD A DEVELOPMENT KNOWLEDGE
INSTITUTION
24. Further strengthen Senior Management’s commitment to a knowledge Bank. By placing a
higher premium on knowledge, Senior Management would strengthen the enabling environment
for knowledge management in the Bank. One of the take-aways from consultations with
stakeholders was that continuous leadership support for knowledge management would have
contributed to the further strengthening of the enabling environment for knowledge management in
the Bank. Possible areas for priority consideration could include: (i) supporting managers and staff
to use knowledge across the Bank’s business value chain routinely; (ii) providing appropriate
incentives for managers and staff to support and champion the sharing of knowledge and
innovations within Organizational Units, across the Bank and RMCs, and with development
partners; (iii) providing staff the flexibility to pilot and implement innovative approaches emerging
from cutting-edge analytical works and recommendations; (iv) demonstrating the Bank’s readiness
to prioritize the use of knowledge as a determinant of quality work and delivery of development
results; and (v) fostering a learning culture by expanding the space for staff to learn from successful
and not so successful experiences. These measures will make staff perceive a career in the
knowledge path as rewarding as a career in lending.

25. Elevate the role of development dialogue in the Bank’s engagements with RMCs.
Formulation and implementation of public policy in developing countries involves diverse players,
many moving parts, and evolving social, economic, and political norms. Availability of adequate
knowledge is crucial in this process. Therefore, the provision of effective knowledge-based
development advisory services to RMCs is one of the Bank’s most important mandates. To be
effective in this process, the Bank requires sufficient and quality knowledge. Therefore, the Bank
must undertake relevant research and analysis, engage in evidence-based discussions, provide
advisory support, support the generation of quality statistics, and develop and pilot new
development approaches. This will position the Bank as a trusted partner with demonstrated
capacity to handle development processes based on the technical knowledge products and the
expertise of its staff.

26. Proactivity of knowledge work. The Bank’s knowledge work should be proactive,
anticipate emerging trends, and be disseminated timely. The possession of ready tools of
engagement in analytical work will help to position the Bank as a knowledge leader.

27. In a nutshell, as summarized in the SWOT analysis of the Bank’s knowledge management
function (see Annex 5), the Bank is imbued with many strengths as it embarks on this quest to
strengthen the role of knowledge in its engagements in RMCs. The ongoing reforms—including
the ‘One Bank Approach’ with its emphasis on sector technical leadership backed by sound
knowledge—and the prioritization of knowledge in key Bank corporate strategies and policies
provide a conducive environment for knowledge mainstreaming in Bank operations.

8
VII. BANK GROUP KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2022-2031

7.1 Why does the Bank need a Knowledge Management Strategy?

28. The demand for Bank knowledge work in RMCs is very high. The RMCs’ development
challenges remain daunting in the increasingly globalized world. The COVID-19 pandemic has
significantly increased the complexity of these challenges. Knowledge and its effective
management are crucial to addressing these challenges. RMCs expect the Bank to lead on the
knowledge they need in this process. Stakeholders in RMCs have consistently emphasized this
point. As a result, this is reflected in all the Bank’s corporate strategies, policies, and commitments
to supporting African countries to achieve their development objectives, including the High 5s
operational priorities, the ADF-15, and GCI-VII commitments. The successor to the TYS 2013-
2022, which is currently under preparation, also accords high priority to the mainstreaming of
knowledge in Bank operations. In fact, the Bank’s comparative advantage should go beyond its
ability to provide financial resources to its RMCs. Annex 6 provides more details on the crucial
role of knowledge and its prioritization in the Bank’s corporate priorities and strategies.

29. Knowledge management is a key priority to support the Bank’s global mandate for RMCs.
As Africa’s premier development finance institution, the Bank is involved in many of the global
and continental development debates and commitments that bear on the development challenges
and prospects of African countries. Some of the key commitments include the SDGs, the AU
Agenda 2063, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the African
Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Delivery on these commitments requires substantial
investments, and significant knowledge to bolster the efficiency and development impact of these
investments. It also requires the amplification of the voices of African countries in these global
development debates. The Bank can contribute more toward delivering on these global
commitments and debates for African countries by effectively leveraging the convening power of
knowledge.

30. A Knowledge management strategy is needed to coordinate Bank-wide knowledge

management efforts. To deliver on its above-mentioned two-pronged knowledge mandate
(country/continental and global), all the Bank’s Complexes, Departments, and Units across sectors
and regions carry out knowledge work. Knowledge management thus appears as a cross-cutting
objective, which is mainstreamed in all Bank strategies, policies and interventions. The ECVP
Complex coordinates these Bank-wide efforts towards ensuring the efficient generation,
management, and dissemination of high-quality knowledge on development to position the Bank
as Africa’s premier knowledge institution, and effectively respond to this two-pronged mandate.
Experience in the IFIs community has demonstrated the necessity for a central knowledge
management strategy to coordinate these efforts effectively and efficiently.

7.2 Key Guiding Principles

31. The following principles are proposed to guide the Bank’s knowledge work under the KMS
2022-2031 and ensure that the Bank learns from its experience and effectively taps into the full
potential of knowledge to maximize the development of its RMCs.

9
32. Bank knowledge work will be demand-driven: As mentioned in Section 2, there are many
types of knowledge, which are relevant to the Bank’s knowledge work in the service of its RMCs.
These include ‘hard’ or STEM knowledge, development knowledge, explicit or codified
knowledge, implicit or tacit knowledge, global or general knowledge, local knowledge, and
public/private knowledge. Under the KMS 2022-2031, the Bank will help RMCs tap into these
types of knowledge to support their development objectives. Knowledge work will be undertaken
when required by RMCs or regional authorities to help them develop and implement policies and
approaches regarding some sectors or cross-cutting issues, or by the Bank to design its strategies
and policies and gain overall knowledge on developments in the RMCS.

33. Encourage staff creativity and foresight: Toward this end, knowledge work will also be
undertaken when needed to advance the knowledge frontier on emerging development issues
facing RMCs /regions through cutting-edge research. In fact, even supply-led knowledge work can
have a high impact, so long as the analysis help chart new frontiers and are relevant to RMCs’
policies and development needs.
34. Alignment with the theory of change: A Theory of Change (ToC) explains how a strategy
will achieve its intended outcomes. A sound ToC is, therefore, critical for the design and
implementation of an effective strategy. Weaknesses in the underlying ToC were a key reason for
the low relevance at the design of the previous KMS 2015-2020. This weakened the
implementation of KMS 2015-2020 considerably, as documented in the CR. The ToC of the KMS
2022-2031, presented in Annex 7, shows the causal pathways between the inputs, which will be
mobilized to implement the strategy, the activities, the outputs, and the expected outcomes.
Adherence to this ToC will be a key guiding principle in selecting the inputs, activities, outputs,
and outcomes to be targeted under the KMS 2022-2031.

35. Selectivity: As previously noted in this report, the development challenges of RMCs are
daunting. Consequently, their knowledge needs are diverse and multidimensional. To address
these development challenges effectively, efficiently, and sustainably, the Bank will, therefore,
provide focused knowledge management support to RMCs and regions individually and jointly,
based on a selective approach. Given its high knowledge generation and dissemination potential
and its established comparative advantage, the Bank will continue to produce flagship reports and
engage in research, data and statistical work, capacity development, and independent development
evaluation.

36. For other knowledge work aimed at supporting the Bank’s country, regional, continental
and global mandates, the selection of topics, formats, and other intervention modalities will
continue to be based on the following factors: (i) the country/region/continent’s most pressing
development needs and priorities as identified in the country/regional/continental/global
development strategies and reflected in Bank CSPs/RISPs/continental/global commitments and
country/regional/continental/global work programs, and (ii) the Bank Group’s comparative
advantage and approach to selectivity as defined in the document on the sharpening of the Bank’s
strategic focus—a proposal to increase the Bank’s selectivity (Document

10
ADB/BD/WP/2021/06/Rev.1/Final and ADF/BD/WP/2021/05/Rev.1/Final dated 11 May 2021).
This selectivity approach underscores the need for a focused engagement to avoid spreading
resources too thinly. It will also imply that, in prioritizing its knowledge work, the Bank will
emphasize quality over quantity. The KMC will monitor the implementation of this selectivity and
prioritization framework to the Bank’s knowledge work and will provide guidance in that regard
from time to time.

37. Partnerships: The Bank will also collaborate with other stakeholders in RMCs and non-
regional member countries in knowledge production and dissemination, including government
officials, research institutions and institutions of higher education, civil society organizations, the
private sector, and development partners.

7.3 Vision and Overarching Objective

38. The previous KMS 2015-2020 was based on a vision of “transforming the Bank into a
premier knowledge institution in Africa in the areas of the Bank’s mandate,” and on the
overarching objective of ‘‘providing knowledge solutions to Africa’s pressing development
challenges.” The vision and overarching objective of KMS 2015-2020 broadly remain valid.
However, to better reflect the findings of recent assessments of knowledge management efforts it
is proposed that the vison of the KMS be slightly revised to ‘‘transforming the Bank into the
premier provider of the knowledge RMCs need to achieve superior outcomes on their development
priorities’’ and the overarching objective to “leveraging knowledge to strengthen development
effectiveness in RMCs, both at country and regional levels’’. This will involve strengthening
knowledge needs identification, knowledge generation, codification, capturing, dissemination and
sharing, and use.
7.4 Strategic Pillars

39. The KMS offers the Bank an opportunity to define the strategic pillars to deliver on its
knowledge management mandate effectively. RMCs’ knowledge needs are very diverse in many
dimensions, including sectors and themes, country and regional contexts, required timelines and
formats of delivery, geographical coverage, and targeted audiences. In such a setting, the
transformation of the Bank into the premier provider of knowledge to RMCs requires a strategic
approach to the choice of operational focus for Bank knowledge management efforts and the
selection of the pillars of the KMS. Drawing from the findings from the implementation of
previous Bank knowledge management efforts and the lessons learned (see Section IV), the vision
and overarching objective of the KMS 2022-2031, the outcomes of consultations with Bank
knowledge stakeholders (see Annex 8), the discussions at CODE on 31st March 2021 and 19
October 2021 respectively on the Bank’s knowledge management efforts (Annex 9 presents the
guidance provided by CODE on these occasions and the actions taken), the ToC, and the
experience of other IFIs, it is proposed that the KMS be articulated around the following two
complementary strategic pillars: Pillar 1: Strengthening the Bank’s internal environment for
knowledge management. Pillar 2: Strengthening the feedback loops between knowledge and Bank
engagements in RMCs. These pillars are elaborated upon below:

11
40. Pillar 1: Strengthening the Bank’s internal environment for knowledge management. The
objective of this pillar will be to improve the attractiveness of the Bank’s internal environment for
knowledge management more generally. Under this pillar, the Bank will focus its efforts on
ensuring the mainstreaming of knowledge management objectives in the Bank key processes
supporting knowledge management, including (i) people management to enhance the incentives
for Bank staff to engage more in knowledge work, (ii) better funding for knowledge work,
including through resources from trust funds, (iii) strengthening of the IT systems for knowledge
management, (iv) development and implementation of a framework to better measure the Bank’s
knowledge work, and (v) improving communications on Bank knowledge work. These measures
are further elaborated upon below:

41. People management to enhance incentives for staff to engage more in knowledge work:
Although some measures have been implemented, relating to capacity building of staff, annual
complex learning plans, personal development plans to capture development needs of staff and
interventions identified as part of the performance management process, and on-going work on the
talent councils, more remains to be done to create the structured and enhanced incentives system
the Bank needs to encourage staff to engage more in knowledge work. An incentive framework to
make knowledge work attractive to Bank staff and aligned with Bank policies, including the
Corporate Recognition Program approved in the Total Compensation Framework (2021-2024),
will be developed, and implemented. Candidate measures, which will be considered in this
incentives framework, will include measures to (i) mainstream knowledge management
competencies in staff and consultants’ recruitment, staff development and performance appraisals,
(ii) increase the visibility and recognition of knowledge work, and (iii) strengthen line managers’
inclination to prioritize, recognize, value and rewards knowledge work.
42. Funding of knowledge work: This emerged as a point of tension in discussions with
stakeholders. A closer examination would, however, reveal wide variations in the funding of
knowledge products. Some institutional knowledge products, including flagship reports such as
the AEO, some research products, the independent development evaluation work, and statistical
work, receive funding through the Bank’s regular administrative budget process that needs to be
enhanced. The other non-institutionally-determined knowledge products—notably, country or
region-focused knowledge products, which staff routinely identify during their dialogue with
authorities —appear to be the most poorly funded. Discussions also revealed the need to strengthen
staff knowledge of the process for accessing funding, and to better manage expectations. Like all
resources, funding for knowledge work will always be in short supply in the face of increasing
demand.

43. In going forward, a two-pronged approach may be adopted. First, knowledge work
approved by the KMC and included in the Bank-wide annual knowledge work program will be
considered institutional knowledge products and will receive funding from either the
administrative budget or an identified trust fund. Second, other knowledge products will be carried
out by Bank employees, provided that the new conducive environment materializes. Bank
employees may, therefore, need to be guided on better balancing the use of consultants, which
requires funding, with carrying out some knowledge work themselves. The latter option would
also strengthen staff capacity through learning by doing. In fact, it will be necessary for the Bank
to create an enabling environment for staff in all sectors to constantly document their experiences

12
through high quality articles in the Bank’s Working Paper series, Africa Economic Brief, “How
They Did It” series, African Development Review (ADR), Evaluation Matters, Evaluation Round-
up, Blogs, and other external knowledge outlets. Such articles can serve as background knowledge
work for effective country and regional development dialogue and reduce the need for a
consultancy budget. Bank staff constituted only about 11 percent of all the authors and co-authors
of articles published in the 2018 editions of the Bank’s ADR, under 6 percent in the 2019 editions,
and just 4.4 percent in 2020. Quintupling, or at least tripling, the percent of Bank staff in the
population of authors and co-authors of ADR articles by 2031 would advance one of the KMS’s
key objectives: making knowledge work more attractive to Bank staff.

44. IT systems: Storage, accessibility, and dissemination of knowledge work relies heavily on
IT systems and solutions. Thanks to digital technology, the diffusion of knowledge has become
quick, efficient, and cheap in today's world. In addition to traditional digital knowledge platforms
such as academic journals, mainstream news media, and digital knowledge and data repositories,
social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, have become an integral part of
knowledge management. Moreover, the proliferation of online conferencing platforms, such as
Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Cisco VC, has reduce the cost of development dialogue.

45. The Digital Strategy 2017-2021 identified a set of transformative themes to deliver the
evolving needs of a multinational organization in the digital age. One of these themes is online
visibility—reinforcing the AfDB’s position as a Knowledge Bank through online tools and
platforms. Despite some achievements, more still needs to be done to leverage digital technologies
in KM activities—such as knowledge generation, knowledge dissemination, policy dialogue,
talent acquisition, knowledge storage and retrieval, and people management. Therefore, under the
KMS the Bank will further strengthen its efforts to leverage digital technologies in its internal and
external knowledge management activities. There will be stronger coordination between the KMC
and the Information Systems Steering Committee (ISSC). Online visibility of Bank knowledge
work will be improved toward enhancing their dissemination. Possible actions, which will be
implemented include (i) the development of a knowledge portal or African knowledge hub, which
provides storage and easy access to knowledge products, (ii) the enhancement of the Bank’s library
into an e-library for knowledge resources on African development, especially on development
issues in the High 5s priorities, (iii) strengthening the use of artificial intelligence where necessary,
and (iv) access to partner organisations’ repositories.

46. Measurement of Bank knowledge work: As it is well known in the development

community, what gets measured gets done. Despite this natural incentive effect, measuring the
value of knowledge has always been a challenging undertaking in IFIs. This is because, unlike
lending where disbursements and approvals levels appear as natural candidates to measure activity,
knowledge work often does not require significant amounts of resources although its returns are
even higher. Efforts will be made to measure the value of knowledge work in the Bank better.

47. Communications. The communications function’s contributions to the dissemination and

uptake of Bank knowledge work will also be strengthened. Management will review and implement
a range of actions to ensure that the Bank’s knowledge work get the attention of key decision makers
in RMCs and in the development community more generally. These measures will include
strengthening collaboration between Communications and External Relations (PCER) and the
knowledge ecosystem, training staff on how to better package and communicate key messages from
knowledge work, communicating knowledge products in local languages whenever possible, and

13
working more with non-state actors, including civil society organizations, private sector, and other
development partners on dissemination issues throughout the knowledge value-chain.

48. Pilar 2: Strengthening the feedback loops between knowledge and Bank engagements in
RMCs. This pillar’s main objective will be to leverage knowledge work to increase the
development impact of Bank engagements in RMCs. This will mainly involve ensuring that Bank
operations are guided by sound development dialogue informed by sound knowledge. Towards
achieving this objective, the focus will be on (i) strengthening the quality and process efficiency
of Bank knowledge work, (ii) strengthening the discussion of knowledge in operational
documents, (iii) staff training, (iv) further advancing the Bank’s statistical work, (v) improving
availability and uptake by operations teams of independent evaluation knowledge, (vi)
strengthening the Bank’s research and synergies with operations and other stakeholders, (vii)
strengthening knowledge partnerships, (viii) strengthening the coordination and prioritization of
knowledge work across the Bank and, (ix) developing capacities in RMCs in knowledge
management. These measures are further elaborated upon below:
49. Strengthening the quality and process efficiency of Bank knowledge work. The success of
the KMS, and of all Bank efforts toward becoming a knowledge institution, will ultimately rest on
the high quality and process efficiency of its knowledge work, ensuring that knowledge is fit for
purpose – useful and usable. This will drive the credibility of Bank knowledge work, its ownership
by stakeholders, and its sustainability. The Bank’s knowledge work requires a Quality Assurance
Framework (QAF), which will define the guiding principles for knowledge needs identification,
the initiation, preparation, peer review, finalization, clearance, and dissemination of the Bank’s
knowledge work, together with the accompanying delegation of authority matrix and presidential
directive. In preparing this QAF for knowledge work, which will be a key deliverable of the KMS,
possibilities for collaboration with the WAKANDA business process improvement, optimization,
and re-engineering project will be explored.

50. Strengthening the discussion of knowledge in operational documents. Efforts will be made
to develop and implement initiatives to ensure that relevant knowledge and lessons learned from
experiences are adequately captured and used in the design of operations. Towards this end, the
formats of relevant Bank operational documents, including CSPs/RISPs, Project Appraisal Reports
(PAR), Project Completion Reports will be continuously updated to ensure that the knowledge
supporting the design of operations is adequately discussed e.g clearly articulating the key aspects
of projects design, including the policy reforms being supported, the underlying policy dialogue,
and the body of knowledge supporting the proposed design features.

51. Staff training: the training of staff, especially on topics related to knowledge and its
integration in Bank operations, how knowledge can be better used in the Bank and in RMCs to
improve development effectiveness, development dialogues and policy reforms, lending activities,
capacity development, will also be significantly advanced. Key reference points in these learning
efforts will be the Operations Academy, and the structuration and support for the effective
functioning of Communities of Practices in key priority sectors, including the Global Community
of Practices.

52. Further advancing the Bank’s statistical work: Quality statistics is a key component of
knowledge generation for development analysis and dialogues. The Bank needs the continuous
strengthening of its statistical activities through the promotion and facilitation of innovation and

14
 synergies in the data ecosystem, consistently building statistical capacity in RMCs to support
development debates, modernization of data production and an ever-expanding array of data
sources, the use of technology and new and enhanced sources of data (including administrative
records, geospatial data, big data), enhancement of partnerships, the improvement of data
governance, the standardization and utilization of innovative data dissemination and exchange
platforms, and supporting the generation of relevant data and statistics as part of operations to
inform policy design and implementation, and effective monitoring and evaluation of development
outcomes.
53. Improving availability and uptake by operations teams of independent evaluation
knowledge. With respect to independent development evaluation, efforts will be made to increase
awareness of the availability of evaluation evidence (findings, lessons and recommendations) of
the Bank’s operations, policies and strategies across projects, sectors, themes, regions, and
countries, and its uptake by operations teams. This will include using tools such as the Evaluation
Results Database, the Management Action Record System, and strengthening the quality of the
lessons from self-evaluations (that is, Project Completion Reports and Expanded Supervision
Reports), and their dissemination to project beneficiaries and other stakeholders.

54. Strengthening the Bank’s research and synergies with operations. A strong research
function is important for raising the visibility and credibility of knowledge work conducted at the
Bank. Efforts to strengthen the Bank’s research work will, therefore, also be stepped up. These will
include improving research infrastructure such as access to journals, statistical, mathematical, and
econometric software, as well as strengthening collaboration with operations staff in regions and
sectors, external think-tanks, and academia.
55. Strengthening knowledge partnerships. Considering the strategic importance of knowledge
partnerships as sources of knowledge generation and dissemination, strengthening these
partnerships will be a key area of focus under the KMS. Accordingly, the Bank will aim at
implementing the recommendations of the 2021 BDEV evaluation of knowledge partnerships at the
Bank. Toward this end, efforts will be made to: (i) develop a framework for guiding staff in
identifying and developing effective knowledge partnerships, and strengthening staff incentives to
use partnerships, (ii) better integrate knowledge partnerships with financing partnerships, (iii) better
resourcing partnerships, and (iv) mobilize networks of key stakeholders of the development
knowledge RMCs need, including think tanks, institutions of higher education and learning, and
centers of excellence. Annex 10 summarizes the key messages on knowledge partnerships from the
BDEV evaluation of partnerships at the Bank between 2008-2019.

56. Strengthening the coordination and prioritization of knowledge work across the Bank.
Efforts will also be made to develop and implement procedures to prepare annually a coordinated
and prioritized Bank-wide knowledge work program with clear institutional accountabilities for
delivery.

57. Developing knowledge management capacities in RMCs. Actions under pillar 2 will also
aim at strengthening development knowledge management capacities in RMCs. In fact, the success
of Bank efforts aimed at strengthening the feedback loops between knowledge and Bank operations
also depends on the knowledge orientation and capabilities of RMCs. Given the high degree of
complementarity, which exists between knowledge management and capacity development, the
KMS and the Capacity Development Strategy (CDS) 2021-2025 will be implemented in close

15
coordination. CDS 2021-2025 will strengthen capacities of RMCs to formulate and implement good
quality policies, strategies, programs, and projects, including in knowledge management. These
strengthened capacities will provide a more enabling environment for the Bank’s knowledge work
with RMCs.
58. Areas of special emphasis for knowledge work: In addition to the above measures, which
are horizontal in nature and aim at strengthening the overall knowledge environment in the Bank
and the feedback loops between knowledge and operations across sectors and thematic areas of
Bank interventions, and High 5s priorities, the KMS will also seek to identify areas of special
emphasis for knowledge work. These areas of special emphasis will include climate change and
green growth, Feed Africa, fragility and resilience, gender, governance, and private sector
development.
59. Climate change and green growth. The Bank recognizes the vital importance of evidence-
based climate information and knowledge to guide decision-making for climate actions, as Africa
could lose up to about 15 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2050 due to climate
change. Knowledge, therefore, plays a critical role in Bank’s climate change and green growth
agenda, which is articulated in the new Bank’s framework which includes a Long-Term Policy, a
Ten-Year Strategic Framework 2021-2030, and a Five-Year Action Plan 2021-2025. As a result,
the Bank will increase its support to green growth and climate knowledge generation as well as
mainstream climate change into sectors knowledge productions to inform its strategies and projects,
while raising awareness of African decision-makers on various issues related to climate change.
This will include strengthening of existing climate related knowledge products and data, production
of country climate change and green growth profiles to sensitize African decision-makers on
various issues related to climate change, assessments of climate risks on Bank’s portfolio, on
countries’ GDP and financial ratings, and climate safeguards systems among others.

60. Feed Africa. Realizing Africa’s high agricultural potential to support the continent’s
development prospects will require significantly enhanced knowledge management capabilities.
The Bank’s Feed Africa Strategy acknowledges this and has put strong emphasis on knowledge to
advise authorities in RMCs on the public policies and investments needed to achieve this objective.
Knowledge work in this regard will focus on the seven catalysts identified by the Feed Africa
Strategy to accelerate the transformation of the agricultural sector in RMCs, namely, to: 1)
massively increase productivity; 2) increase value-added; 3) scale up investment in tangible and
intangible infrastructure; 4) expand agricultural finance; 5) improve the agro-industrial
environment; 6) optimize inclusion, sustainability, and nutrition; and 7) coordinate partnerships to
stimulate transformation.

61. Fragility and resilience. Significant parts of the African continent continue to be affected
by fragility. About 34% of Africa’s population live in countries affected by fragility. These
countries often face the most daunting development challenges with higher poverty rates and worst
human development indicators. Addressing fragility and building resilient societies is, therefore, an
important objective for the Bank. As acknowledged in the Bank’s strategy for addressing fragility
and building resilience, generating, and accessing sound knowledge is a key requirement for
achieving this objective. The Bank will, therefore, step up knowledge work on fragility and
resilience under the KMS, building on CRFAs and other fragility-related knowledge products
already being produced, but will also aim to better link knowledge work on fragility with Bank
CSPs, operations and, development dialogues with RMCs and RECs.

16
62. Gender. Available evidence shows that gender disparities continue to choke development
in many African countries. To address this important issue, the Bank will continue to learn from its
experience to enhance gender equality. The Bank will also use its convening power to co-finance
and co-develop, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, gender knowledge products tailored to
RMCs contexts to support evidence-based policymaking and implementation. In addition, the Bank
will utilize the Africa Gender Index (AGI) to measure gender-based gaps in economic
opportunities, human development, law and institutions to better support gender equality-promoting
decision making.

63. Governance. Enhancing governance frameworks in several areas of RMCs development,

including domestic resource mobilization, public financial management, debt management and
transparency, combatting of corruption and stemming of illicit financial flows, as well as promoting
an enabling environment for private sector investment, is a key-driver towards achieving progress
in their development objectives. Lessons learned from the Bank’s governance work and BDEV
evaluations on program-based operations suggest that knowledge work to inform Bank’s
governance operations should be scaled-up. Management will explore a range of knowledge
products, including country governance diagnostics and thematic policy reports based on the pillars
of the Strategy for Economic Governance in Africa (SEGA) to better inform the Bank’s governance
operations.

64. Private sector development. Africa’s private sector accounts for 90% of jobs, 70% of GDP
and 70% of total investments. To accelerate the participation of the private sector in Africa’s
development, several challenges must be addressed, including the investment and business climate
which continues to be characterized by a wide range of impediments. In line with the Bank 2021-
2025 Private Sector Development Strategy (PSDS), the Bank will leverage knowledge products to
better capture the specific needs of different RMCs, with a focus on countries in transition, and
assess private sector issues and binding constraints at the country and regional levels. Towards this
end, Country Private Sector Profiles (CPSPs) will be developed to streamline private sector
development issues into CDNs and CSPs deployed through country programs and projects. CPSPs
are designed to support country teams’ PSD related policy dialogues and associated reform
priorities as well as to provide insights on investment opportunities. This will allow the Bank,
RMCs and other development partners to channel resources towards creating the conditions for
private investment and job creation in RMCs.

7.5 Synergies between the KMS and other Bank Strategies

65. Availability of high-quality knowledge is crucial to achieving Bank strategic objectives in

all sectors and thematic areas of engagement in RMCs. In view of this, all the Bank’s country and
regional strategies, and corporate sector and thematic strategies have rightly identified the
strengthening of knowledge management as a top priority. These include the High 5s strategies,
CDS, the Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy, the natural resources strategy, which is under
preparation, the people’s strategy, the regional integration strategic framework, SEGA, the strategy
for addressing fragility and building resilience in Africa, the strategy for promoting gender
equality, PSDS, the financial sector development strategy, other sectors and corporate strategies,
and continental and global commitments of the Bank. These corporate sector and thematic
strategies will be implementing initiatives and programs to strengthen knowledge management
and move the Bank toward a development knowledge institution in their respective sector and

17
thematic areas of responsibility. The KMS will play a much-needed coordination and efficiency-
enhancing role in the strengthening of the effectiveness of these sector and thematic knowledge
initiatives.

7.6 Alignment

66. The KMS is fully aligned with the objectives of the Bank’s corporate commitments,
including the SDGs, the Paris climate change agreement, AU Agenda 2063, GCI-VII and ADF-
15. It is also well aligned with the Bank’s TYS 2013-2022 and its successor under preparation;
and its operational High 5 priorities. The priority areas of the KMS are also aligned with the
Bank’s country and regional integration strategies, which emphasize the important role of
knowledge in accelerating the development impact of the Bank’s interventions.
7.7 Financing the KMS

67. To leverage its limited resources, the Bank will coordinate co-financing arrangements with
development partners active in knowledge management in RMCs. The Bank will supplement these
efforts with the strengthened knowledge partnerships, which will be nurtured during the
implementation of this strategy. Some current partnerships, which will continue to be explored
include Japan’s Enhanced Private Sector Assistance (EPSA), China’s Africa Growing Together
Fund (AGTF), the various Climate Investment Funds (CIFs), the Affirmative Finance Action for
Women in Africa (AFAWA) and the Gender Equality Trust Fund (GETF), as well as other bilateral
co-financing arrangements such as those with the Agence française de développement (AFD), and
Korea’s EDCF, and the KOAFEC Trust Fund. It would be challenging at this point to estimate the
budgetary cost for the Bank of implementing the KMS. To ensure cost is aligned with the financial
sustainability framework, the Bank’s allocations of resources to the implementation of the KMS
will be approved by the Board annually as part of the Bank’s annual budget appropriation process.

7.8 Implementation Arrangements

68. The implementation of the KMS will follow the One Bank approach. All Bank Complexes,
Departments, and Units will contribute to the vision of transforming the Bank into the premier
provider of development knowledge to RMCs. Considering that it is at the country and regional
levels that the Bank’s knowledge work matters the most, Director Generals, Deputy Director
Generals, and Country Managers will play critical roles in ensuring the prioritization and
leveraging of knowledge in the CSPs/RISPs, and in the resulting country and regional work
programs. In line with the One Bank approach, Sector Complexes and Departments will spearhead
the generation of knowledge and use this knowledge to strengthen the Bank’s development
dialogues and lending operations. The joint accountability framework between sectors and regions
will be slightly expanded to include accountability for delivering agreed knowledge work, and the
corresponding key performance indicators. To ensure successful implementation some investment
in change management will be necessary, including nominating champions and establishing
knowledge networks within the Bank so that staff feel supported to undertake knowledge work.
Figure 1 below illustrates the Bank’s knowledge management ecosystem.

18
Figure 1: Bank’s Knowledge Management Ecosystem

69. The ECVP Complex will lead the overall coordination and monitoring of the
implementation of the KMS, including ensuring (i) the operationalization of the KMC, which will
provide a mechanism for coordinating the Bank-wide implementation of the strategy, (ii) the
development and monitoring of the implementation of a Bank-wide annual knowledge work
program, and (iii) the design and implementation of an effective QAF for all knowledge work,
with support from all the other Complexes and organizational units. The KMC will be chaired by
the Chief Economist and Vice-President, ECVP. Regional and sector experts in both regional hubs
and HQ will support the quality assurance of knowledge products deployed in their respective
regions and sectors. On the RMCs’ side, the relevant ministries, civil society, and the private sector
will be the Bank’s key partners.
7.9 Monitoring and Evaluation

70. The ECVP Complex will monitor the overall performance of the KMS and conduct a mid-
term review, using the results measurement framework consisting of the strategic alignment and
performance matrices (Annex 11). To strengthen the monitoring of the Bank’s knowledge work,
the ECVP will coordinate the production of a new Bank Report on knowledge work, which will
be produced annually. The objective of this report will be to monitor progress in the
implementation of the strategy, analyze the progress and challenges, and make recommendations
for the future directions of knowledge work across the Bank. In addition, the report will inform
the mid-term review and the end-term evaluation of the implementation of the KMS, which will
be carried out in 2026 and 2031, respectively.

7.10 Risks and Mitigating Measures

71. The main risks to the successful implementation of the KMS are highlighted in Table 1
below:

19
 Table 1: Main Risks and their Mitigation
Risk Mitigation Measures
Recent reforms, including the One Bank approach, and
their emphasis on knowledge-supported and sector-led
Insufficient prioritization of knowledge in the
technical excellence, signal Senior Management’s
Bank, including at the management level
commitment to prioritizing knowledge in Bank
engagements with RMCs.
Recent reforms, including the One Bank approach, and
Lack of effective, visible, and credible their emphasis on knowledge-supported and sector-led
accountability structures in the Bank to drive technical excellence, signal Senior Management’s
the execution of the KMS commitment to prioritizing knowledge in Bank
engagements with RMCs.
There is a risk related to variations in
institutional capacity to prioritize, generate, The Bank will scale up capacity development efforts to
disseminate, and use knowledge in many sustain its knowledge management work in RMCs.
RMCs.
The Bank will accelerate its efforts toward increased
Insufficient resources to finance knowledge
mobilization of resources, including through Trust
activities in the Bank and RMCs
Funds and co-financing, to implement the KMS .

VIII. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

8.1 Conclusion

72. Rapid globalization and the COVID-19 pandemic world are compounding RMCs’
development challenges. As a result, RMCs’ needs for knowledge to address these challenges remain
high. Given these realities, the Bank needs to remain at the forefront in leveraging high quality
knowledge products and services to strengthen its development advice and guide investments
decisions of RMCs. This report has proposed a new, more streamlined, effective, and efficient KMS
to succeed KMS 2015-2020. The schedule for the preparation of the KMS 2022-2031 is presented
in Annex 12.
8.2 Recommendation

73. The Board of Directors is invited to consider and approve this KMS 2022-2031 for the
Bank Group.

20
ANNEXES

21
Annex 1: Glossary of Knowledge Management Terms

The concept of knowledge has several dimensions, which are relevant to the Bank’s efforts towards
becoming a knowledge institution. Some of these key dimensions are presented belowv:

Development knowledge or ‘soft’ knowledge: The body of established causal relationships in the
field of social sciences (economics, sociology, political science, geography, history, etc.) and in
various sectors of economic activity, which help policymakers to create the right incentives and
systems for economic agents to create and use ‘hard knowledge’ to increase productivity and
enhance productive processes, towards improving economic and social outcomes, including in the
Bank’s High 5s priority sectors.

Explicit knowledge or codified knowledge: Knowledge that can be codified in formal, systematic
language, stored in an easily retrievable database and shared. Examples include a report of research
findings.

General knowledge or global knowledge: Knowledge that holds across countries, cultures, and
times.

Knowledge or ‘hard’ knowledge: Knowledge is the body of facts and evidence-backed

understanding of causal relationships in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics, which enable economic agents to produce various types of goods and services in all
sectors of the economy necessary, including in the Bank’s High 5s priority sectors, to elevate and
sustain the standard of living of societies and, in the process, expand the production capacity and
steadily improve standards of living.

Knowledge creation or knowledge generation: The uncovering of causal relationships, which

occur in the fields of STEM, development knowledge, explicit/codified knowledge, tacit/implicit
knowledge, or general/local knowledge.

Knowledge management: The design and implementation of procedures and systems enabling
knowledge needs to be systematically identified, and the corresponding knowledge solutions to be
developed, stored, and shared for effective use.

Knowledge product: Any means that enables the sharing, storage, or transfer of knowledge created.
Knowledge products can include various types of reports, databases, etc.

Knowledge sharing: Making knowledge available to users in a timely manner and in the most
effective formats.

Knowledge transfer: The transfer of knowledge to intended users.

Local knowledge: Knowledge that takes account of the specifics of place, people, and time. It often
includes traditional knowledge, which is understood as a living body of knowledge that is
developed, sustained, and passed on from generation to generation within a community, often
forming part of its cultural or spiritual identity.

Private good knowledge: Knowledge whose benefits accrue only to well-defined private parties.

I
Most STEM knowledge is protected by intellectual property rights, which restrict the rights to
apply this knowledge to their creator, generally for defined period. This makes most STEM
knowledge private knowledge.

Public good knowledge: Knowledge, which benefit all stakeholders and, which is nonexcludable
and nonrivalrous. Due to the Bank’s mandate and disclosure policies almost all Bank knowledge
work is public good knowledge.

Tacit knowledge or implicit knowledge: Tacit knowledge refers to personalized knowledge that
resides in people’s heads and is, therefore, neither written nor easily transferable between firms
and countries

II
Annex 2: Structure of RMCs’ Development Knowledge Needs

III
Annex 3: RMCs’ Scores on the UNDP’s Global Knowledge Index, 2020

The UNDP’s annual Global Knowledge Index (GKI) tracks countries’ knowledge performance in
seven areas: pre-university education, technical and vocational education and training, higher
education, research, development and innovation, information and communications technology,
economy, and the general enabling environment. The GKI introduces a more systematic
understanding of knowledge by breaking down the concept into its constituent components, thus
recognizing the multidimensional nature of knowledge systems in all contexts and applications
relating to economic and social structures. Consequently, it provides more meaningful and
insightful exploration of knowledge policies in relation to different sectors. Additionally, GKI
enables a more scientific and evidence-based linkage between development and knowledge.
Covering 138 countries and 199 indicators, the GKI provides a systematic tool for guiding and
informing policymakers, researchers, civil society, and the private sector to collaborate on different
aspects of policies to foster knowledge-based societies and bridge knowledge gaps. Since the
GKI’s inception in 2017, African countries have consistently ranked low on the list, indicating the
continent’s sluggish transition to knowledge-based economies. In 2020, the global average for the
GKI score was 46.7 out of 100, compared to Africa’s average of 34.7 (see Figure below), with the
top African country (Seychelles) scoring 49.0/100 and ranking 50th globally, compared to
Switzerland, which was ranked first, a score of 73.6/100.

UNDP's Global Knowledge Index, 2020 Scores

80.0 73.6

70.0 66.8

60.0
49.0
50.0

40.0

30.0
21.5
20.0

10.0

0.0
Botswana
Switzerland

Singapore

Egypt

Congo
Findland

Luxembourg

United Kingdom

Cameroon
Zimbabwe

Madagascar

Burundi
Togo
United States

Mauritius
South Africa

Cote d'Ivoire
Eswatini
Ghana

Senegal

Uganda

Benin

Niger
Mauritania
Netherlands

Denmark

Seychelles

Gambia

Mali

Ethiopia
Mali

Chad
Rwanda

Tanzania
Sweden

Namibia
Kenya
Hong-Kong (SAR)

Cabo Verde

Angola
Tunisia
Morocco

Algeria

Guinea

Lesotho

Burkina Faso

Mozambique

WORLD'S TOP-10 AFRICA

Source: UNDP GKI (2020)

IV
Annex 4: Some Selected Examples of Bank Group Knowledge’s Contributions to Reforms
in RMCs

The Bank has recently successfully introduced new knowledge products aimed at strengthening
the knowledge base and quality-at-entry of Bank’s Country Strategy Papers (CSPs) and Regional
Integration Strategy Papers (RISPs), and operations. Efforts to strengthen some already existing
ones are also underway. These include the Country Diagnostic Notes/Regional Diagnostic Notes
(CDN/RDN), Country Capacity Development Notes (CCDN), Country Resilience and Fragility
Assessments (CRFA), and the Additionality and Development Outcomes Assessment (ADOA).

On regional integration, the Bank’s Africa Visa Openness Index, which has been produced since
2016, has contributed to visa policy reforms in many countries, which have simplified visa
application procedures, encouraged positive reciprocity between African countries, and promoted
talent mobility, intra-regional tourism, investment, and trade.

In South Africa, the Bank financed the study on State Owned Enterprises. This study provided
government with a factual evidence base of performance of SOEs against the NDP, and the policy
reform options that Government can take, based on international best practice to better position
the SOEs to deliver on development. Following the Study, the National Planning Commission
issued a Position Paper for public comment.

In Togo, the study on access to electricity in Togo translated into English and posted on the Bank's
website, which enabled the Government of Togo (GoT) to initiate reforms leading to the
participation of the private sector in the production of electricity for more access to electricity in
the country;
Study on the establishment of the Togolese Revenue Office (OTR) made it
possible to initiate a dialogue between the Bank, GoT and technical and financial partners on
resources mobilization and to ensure effective integration of customs and tax authorities through
the creation of the OTR.
Two other major studies on equalization systems applied to petroleum products and
cement prices enabled GoT to initiate major reforms with a view to promoting competitiveness in
these sectors and inclusive service to remote villages.

The Ban’s main flagship report, the African Economic Outlook report, which analyzes
macroeconomic developments and prospects in RMCs annually has emerged as a widely known
Bank publication. In a survey conducted for the CR of KMS 2015-2020 about 64% of external
stakeholders indicated having been aware of the AEO.

V
Annex 5: The SWOT Analysis of the Bank’s Knowledge Management Function
Strengths
❖ Increasing Bank staff’s and Senior
Management’s awareness of knowledge
and knowledge management’s crucial
role for effective dialogue with clients
and partners, and building strong project
pipelines and project development
results delivery.
❖ Senior Management’s commitment to
elevating the Bank to a knowledge
institution, as evidenced by the creation
of the Chief Economist and Vice-
Presidency for Economic Governance
and Knowledge Management Complex
(ECVP)
❖ Knowledgeable Bank staff with strong
expertise in the areas of the Bank’s
mandate, which provides the Bank with
a strong human capital base, which
adequately positions the Bank to respond
to RMCs’ knowledge needs.
❖ Bank knowledge products contribute to
the development debate (flagship reports
cover and address key issues for users
and reach a wide audience of
stakeholders) and to structural reforms
processes in many RMCs.
❖ Bank statistical work reaching a high
level of usage in the global development
community.
❖ Significant reactivity and adaptability
can be seen from the rapid production of
a Supplement AEO in response to
Covid-19.
❖ Strong presence in RMCs, where
development knowledge needs are first
felt and expressed. This proximity to
policymakers at the country and regional
levels is expected to facilitate the
identification of knowledge needs and
the subsequent development and
dissemination of knowledge solutions.
Weaknesses
▪ Relatively weak institutional
environment for knowledge management
▪ KPs are not sufficiently responsive in
quality and timeliness to existing
knowledge needs of stakeholders and are
not easily accessible.
▪ Low coverage of KPs of Bank-wide
business value chains.
▪ Lack of planning, coherence, and
synergies among Complexes as
knowledge function remains fragmented.
▪ Little progress in structuring a
knowledge management function under
the previous KMS (2015-2020).
▪ With low coordination, unclear ECVP’s
coordination mandate.
▪ Culture of silos and knowledge
retention, limited space and incentives
for the generation and application of
knowledge in operations, development
dialogue and learning
▪ Limited dissemination, sharing, use and
contribution of knowledge.
▪ Inadequate resourcing of knowledge
management in the Bank.
▪ The Bank does not fully utilize the
convening power of knowledge.
VI
Opportunities
❖ Increasing demand from Bank
stakeholders for varied, sophisticated,
and more innovative knowledge
solutions to achieve the SDGs, Agenda
2063, and AfCFTA in RMCs.
❖ Elevated role of knowledge in key Bank
corporate policies, strategies, and
commitments, notably:
o High 5s
o ADF-15
o GCI-VII
o One Bank model, its
prioritization of operations
quality, and the leadership role it
gives to sectors in this priority
area.
❖ Bank financial leverage, which offers an
opportunity to blend knowledge with
financing.
❖ Development partners’ greater
commitment of to using knowledge and
innovation as a competitive advantage in
Africa and globally, which offers
invaluable opportunities for
partnerships.
Threats
▪ Continued project approval culture,
which limits the space for streamlining
knowledge in financing operations.
▪ Slow progress toward knowledge
economies in RMCs.
▪ Effects of Covid-19 on knowledge
delivery timelines.
▪ Stigmatization of knowledge.
producers/brokers as university-minded
researchers.
▪ Inadequate financial leverage of the
Bank may reduce investment in
knowledge in RMCs in the face of
pressing financial needs.
▪ Flight of institutional knowledge

VII
Annex 6: Knowledge Prioritization in Selected Bank Corporate Strategies and Policies

Knowledge Prioritization in the Bank’s Energy Sector Policies and Strategies

Policy-oriented knowledge generation is a priority in the Bank’s energy sector interventions across
the RMCs. The Power, Energy, Climate & Green Growth Complex (PEVP) has designed three
innovative solutions to promote policy-oriented knowledge on energy for RMCs, along with its
policy dialogue interventions: (i) the Africa Energy Portal, a website developed for the generation
and dissemination of knowledge, provides up-to-date data and statistics to investors, policymakers,
researchers, DFIs. In that function, the portal addresses the data-gap issue in the African energy
sector and enables these stakeholders to engage more effectively; (ii) the Africa Energy
Marketplace (AEMP) is a live platform supporting an action-oriented policy dialogue designed to
remove barriers to private investments in the energy sector by using a tri-partite model that brings
governments, the private sector, and development partners together for country-specific roundtable
discussions on the removal of the barriers to private sector investments by prioritizing and
accelerating specific sector reforms and fast-tracking priority transactions. The preparation of the
AEMP platform involved generating and promoting substantial energy sector knowledge at the
country-level; and (iii) the Electricity Regulatory Index (ERI) is a diagnostic instrument that
identifies obstacles to the sustainability and
the attractiveness of local power markets at the country-level.

How knowledge is prioritized in Bank strategy for achieving the High 5 priority, ‘Integrate
Africa’

Integrate Africa is one of the Bank’s High 5 development strategies supported by the Bank’s
Regional Integration Strategic Framework (RISF) 2018-2025. Implementation of the ‘Integrate
Africa’ Strategy is achieved through RISPs, which consider the peculiarities of the different
regions, while CSPs guide the implementation of projects and programs at the country-level. The
Regional Integration Coordination Office (RDRI) leads the Bank’s work in the design, publication
and management of flagship regional integration-related knowledge products such as the Africa
Regional Integration Index, the African Visa Openness Index and the Trade and Transport
Facilitation Due Diligence Tool. The Bank’s partnerships with the African Union Commission
(AUC) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in producing
knowledge products are key in harnessing the strengths of the three pan-African institutions. The
Bank works closely with the United Nations in implementing the Vienna Programme of Action on
Landlocked Developing Countries.
How knowledge is prioritized in Bank strategy for achieving the High 5 priority,
‘Industrialize Africa’
The Bank is implementing its High 5 ‘Industrialize Africa’ strategy through the delivery of six
interconnected flagship programs specifically (i) fostering successful industrial policies, (ii)
catalyzing funding into infrastructure and industry projects, (iii) growing liquid and effective
capital markets, (iv) promoting and driving enterprise development, (v) promoting strategic
partnerships in Africa, and (vi) developing efficient industry clusters across the continent. The
Bank established the Industrial and Trade Development Department (PITD) in 2016 to lead the
implementation of the strategy. PITD leads special initiatives and knowledge work that support
the ‘Industrialize Africa’ strategy. PITD’s knowledge work is the product of extensive internal and
external partnerships with industrial and trade thought leaders. Examples include partnerships with

VIII
United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNECA, and AUC. PITD is currently
opening new frontiers with World Tourism Organization on Tourism policy reforms to align with
inclusive and green growth, the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) on governance and institutional reforms
for industrial development, and the South Korean Customs and Italian Trust Fund on AfCFTA
implementation readiness, capacity building and advocacy.

Knowledge in the Bank’s Jobs for Youth Strategy

The Bank’s “Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy for Creating 25 Million Jobs and Equipping 50
Million Youth over the decade 2016 – 2025” program is anchored on three strategic pillars:
integration, innovation, and investment. Under integration, the Bank will equip itself and RMCs
to become engines of job creation for young Africans. Under innovation, the Bank will work with
partners to incubate, implement, assess, and scale promising solutions. For investment, the Bank
will catalyze private sector investments that stimulate job creation and employment for youth. The
second strategic pillar, innovation, incorporates two knowledge products or instruments, namely:
(a) an Enabling Youth Employment Dashboard to measure youth employment outcomes and
enabling policies at the country-level and to provide information on the evolution of labor market
performance over time; and (b) an Innovation and Information Lab to support the youth
employment and entrepreneurship ecosystem by incubating promising new ideas and assessing
best practices for existing interventions.

Knowledge in the Bank’s Human Development Strategy

The AHHD commissioned an external Implementation Review Report for the ongoing Human
Capital Strategy (2014-2018, extended to February 2021) to inform the sector strategies under
design. This review demonstrated the Department's efforts in knowledge generation and
dissemination through research and production and distribution of 34 reports and other knowledge
documents under the previous strategy. These knowledge products included strategic guidance,
feasibility studies, research, assessments, and profiling reports on various topics such as
entrepreneurship and skills development. Two Africa-wide reports focused on youth
entrepreneurship and an African Education Fund Feasibility Study. The Bank disseminated its
knowledge products to internal and external stakeholders.

Knowledge Prioritization in the Bank’s Policy Dialogues

ADF operational policies have consistently emphasized the need to strengthen the Bank’s role in
knowledge for Africa’s development, including effective policy dialogue. The ADF-13 operational
policy framework noted that the Bank Group would facilitate knowledge for countries through
analytical and advisory activities. ADF-14 envisioned that the Fund would customize global,
continental, and regional knowledge to specific local conditions to bring vast experience to
policymaking in ADF countries. Similarly, the ADF-15 noted that the ADF, as a strategic and
trusted partner, is best positioned for effective policy dialogue by leveraging its knowledge work,
convening power, and understanding of the African context. The ADF-15 deputies report further
indicated that the Bank Group will play a pivotal role as a knowledge broker and a knowledge
bank and should make greater use of its analytical products and those of other international
financial institutions active in ADF countries to inform policy dialogue and operations. The
strengthening of the Bank’s policy dialogue also features high among the GCI-7 commitments.
This will require stepped-up efforts to strengthen the effectiveness of knowledge management

IX
across the Bank. Toward meeting the ADF and GCI-7 commitments, the Bank is implementing
several initiatives requiring greater knowledge management efforts.

Many other key Bank strategies and priorities, including, for example the other High 5 strategies,
the capacity development strategy, the gender strategy, the private sector development strategy,
the public-private partnership strategic framework, and the strategy for economic governance in
Africa, all underscore the Bank’s role as a user of knowledge and a key provider of knowledge
solutions to RMCs.

X
Annex 7: Theory of Change of the Knowledge Management Strategy 2022-2031

XI
Annex 8: Participatory Approach in the preparation of the Knowledge Management
Strategy 2022-2031

This KMS was prepared by a Bank-wide Task Team, coordinated by the Chief Economist and
Vice-Presidency for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management Complex (ECVP). Its
preparation followed a participatory approach. This participatory approach started with the
preparation of the CR of KMS 2015-2020. During that process, internal and external stakeholders
of Bank knowledge work were consulted to identify their perceived state of KM at the Bank and
their expectations of the Bank’s knowledge interventions. These consultations included a
stakeholders’survey and interviews with key informants. An online survey through a
questionnaire was also carried with Bank staff (PL and EL staff) and a range of external Bank
knowledge stakeholders, including government officials, non-state actors (privates sector entities,
academic institutions and think tank, NGOs), and development partners in regional member
countries (Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt,
Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo,
Tunisia, and Zimbabwe). The online survey was open for the period from 3 September to 21
September 2020. A total of 193 stakeholders took part in the online survey, including 98 Bank
staff and 95 external stakeholders. Interviews were also conducted through the zoom platform with
Bank staff at all levels (Vice-Presidents, Director Generals, Directors, Division Managers, Country
Managers, Lead and Country Economists, sector experts) and development partners. The findings
from this consultation process were considered in the preparation of the CR of KMS 2015-2020,
which was a key source of information for the preparation of KMS 2022-2031. In March 2021
Management shared with CODE, for information, the CR of KMS 2015-2020 as part of
Management’s request for extension of KMS 2015-2020 to 31st March 2022. On 19 October 2021,
CODE considered the Approach Paper for the KMS. On both occasions, CODE provided guidance
to Management on the Bank’s knowledge management efforts. This guidance has been considered
in the preparation of the KMS 2022-2031 report. The establishment of the KMS 2022-2031 Bank-
wide Task Team further enabled the perspectives of all Bank sectors and regional complexes to be
considered in the preparation of the KMS. Also, the KMS 2022-2031 report peer-reviewed by staff
from regional and sector complexes.
During these consultations, stakeholders mainly emphasized quality and relevance of Bank
knowledge work, effective internal coordination of Bank knowledge work, with a strong role for
the ECVP Complex, knowledge partnerships, and accessibility of Bank knowledge products. They
also underscored the need to strengthen (i) the feedback loops between knowledge and Bank
engagements in RMCs, both in respect of lending and development dialogues and reforms, (ii) the
funding of knowledge work, (iii) the incentives systems to make knowledge work attractive to
Bank staff, and (iv) management leadership and support to prioritize knowledge work in the Bank
effectively. KMS 2022-2031 has endeavored to address these issues

Following consideration by CODE of this report, Management will conduct further consultations
with internal and external Bank knowledge stakeholders to finalize the KMS 2022-2031 report for
Board consideration and approval.

XII
Annex 9: Guidance Provided by CODE during Meetings of 31st March 2021 and 19th October
2021 and Actions Taken

Guidance Action Taken

CODE concurs with the Approach Paper Noted and agreed.

of the KMS, including the proposed
The key elements of the KMS, including the strategic pillars reflect
strategic pillars
CODE’s concurrence and guidance provided during the meeting of
19 October 2021 (see sub-sections 7.2 and 7.4).
Emphasis should be placed on the Noted and agreed.
quality of knowledge work over quantity
A Quality Assurance Framework for Bank Knowledge Work will be
prepared and implemented as part of the KMS (see paragraphs 37 and
49)

Emphasis should be placed on Noted and agreed.

strengthening partnerships in knowledge
Need to strengthen partnerships, including with institutions of higher
work, including with institutions of
education emphasized in Paragraphs 35 and 54.
higher education

Emphasis should be placed on incentives Noted and agreed.

for Bank staff to engage more in
Need for incentives for strengthen staff engagement in knowledge
knowledge work
work acknowledged in the report. A framework to strengthen
incentives for staff to engage in knowledge work will be prepared and
implemented as part of the KMS (see Paragraph 41).

Better reflect the views of External Noted and agreed.

stakeholders in the KMS’s results
New outcomes indicators 1.2, 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 have been included in
framework
the results framework to capture better the views of external
stakeholders on the Bank’s knowledge management performance (see
Annex 11)
Clarify the drivers of Bank knowledge The KMS proposes that Bank knowledge work should be driven
work. Should Bank knowledge work be primarily by demand from policymakers in RMCs and RECs. This will
driven by demand from RMCs and other ensure that Bank knowledge work is firmly anchored on supporting
key stakeholders or by supply from the policy reforms and, high quality investments in RMCs. But the Bank
Bank. should also be allowed some flexibility to exercise some foresight by
working on still emerging issues to supply RMCs with cutting edge
ideas on pressing development issues. This dual principle of both
demand and supply driven knowledge work is reflected under the key
guiding principles of the KMS in sub-section 7.2

Need to include a theory of change Noted and agreed.

A KMS’s theory of change included in the report (se Paragraph 34 and
Annex 7)

XIII
Consolidate the justification for the Noted and agreed.
knowledge management strategy
Justifications for the need of a knowledge management strategy by the
Bank consolidated in new sub-section 7.1

Ensure alignment of the cost of Noted and agreed.

implementing the strategy with the
This is done in sub-section 7.7
Bank’s budgetary framework

Ensure the KMS is finalized as per the Noted and agreed.

timeline indicated.
Preparation of the KMS on track to be completed and considered by
the Board before 31st March 2022. See preparation schedule in Annex
12.

Further clarify how the Bank’s approach Noted.

to selectivity will be applied to
Clarification provided in Paragraph 37.
knowledge work

XIV
Annex 10: Key Messages on Knowledge Partnerships from the Evaluation of Partnerships
at the AfDBvi

The performance of knowledge partnerships was recently reviewed in the 2021 evaluation of the
AfDB’s partnerships over the 2008-2019 period. The AfDB’s vision of becoming the premier
knowledge institution in Africa in the areas of its mandate is enshrined in its KMS for 2015-2020.
The strategic objective of the KMS is to raise its development effectiveness through providing
knowledge to African countries and exchanging innovative knowledge solutions for Africa’s
transformation. In line with this vision, the Bank has identified partnership as one of the important
sources of knowledge generation and dissemination.

In this regard, the Bank has been active through various Trust Funds, but also specific types of
partnerships such as Knowledge, Advisory Services, Network-type, and Policy Dialogue
partnerships (KASPs). The KASPs include AfDB’s collaboration with one or more other agencies
such as bilateral agencies, organizations with global outreach (e.g., OECD); International Financial
Institutions (IFIs); United Nations system organizations; regional organizations; think-tanks,
research, or academic institutions; private sector/non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
foundations; Regional Economic Communities (RECs); and civil society organizations (CSOs).
KASPs have two main purposes: i) to add technical content to AfDB’s interventions and facilitate
innovations, for example through applied and action research; and ii) to facilitate exchange and
learning on best practices and to inform development engagement to mainstream and upscale
AfDB interventions.

The evaluation rated the Bank’s knowledge partnerships as largely relevant, and their objectives
aligned with the Bank’s main policies and strategies. In terms of effectiveness, the evaluation
found that the partnerships add value to the Bank’s financing activities, provide technical inputs
during project design, and access to partners’ data. Some of these partnerships were instrumental
to leveraging resources through investments, increased gender and environmentally sensitive
knowledge, innovation and development advice, the promotion of transparency and good
governance, as well as the strengthening of end beneficiaries’ capacities through CSOs. Examples
include the Power Africa Initiative, which supported the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy
and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) to be Africa’s first regional organization to roll out legal
instruments for gender in energy; and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI),
which contributed to improved investment climate, increased aid flows, and promoted fairer
government share of revenues in member countries. The Power Africa Initiative also built alliances
and complementarities that are helping develop commercial relationships between U.S. businesses
and African markets. Similarly, the Africa Legal Support Facility (ALSF), and the Governance
Trust Fund (GTF) coordinated the delivery of capacity building in various related themes. The
Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) improved convening, built alliances exploiting
complementarities and synergies, effected policy and system-level changes, and improved co-
ordination of activities among members and with other significant sources of infrastructure
finance, including China and India. The Policy and Human Resources Development Grant
(PHRDG, 2016), was also instrumental in increasing access to affordable food and benefitting
thousands of farmers, including female farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, and scaled up and improved
rice production research, extension, and policymaking through its initiative.

XV
However, the evaluation found significant challenges to the development and full use of the
potential of knowledge partnerships at the Bank. The first is the limited ability of the Bank to target
the most strategic and impactful partnerships because of the absence of a Bank-wide strategic
framework for partnerships and resource mobilization. The second is the limited efficiency in
implementation due to weak coordination, inadequate systems and processes, and inadequate
incentives for staff to utilize the partnership opportunities fully. Other challenges include the weak
funding for knowledge partnerships, and the inadequate formalization of the partnership, which
have reduced the rewards and results of the relationships. Also, the limited ownership and
participation of country teams in the planning and implementation of knowledge partnerships, the
lack of awareness of the existing partnerships in the Bank, and the inadequate integration of
knowledge partnerships into core operations are limitations the Bank has yet to address.

In this regard, one of the lessons from the evaluation is that knowledge partnerships are likely to
perform better when properly resourced and integrated with more formal partnerships whose
objectives are to finance the Bank’s core operations. Going forward, to effectively use partnerships
to promote knowledge, the Bank will need to improve its strategic approach and internal processes
to create strong partnerships.

It will also require specific actions to identify and strengthen synergies between knowledge
partnerships and existing relevant partnerships, assigning clear objectives and resources for their
implementation, as well better communication of results within the partnership. Other key actions
are investing in sensitization programs, fostering ownership at regional and country levels and the
interest of beneficiary regional member countries in using partnerships to generate and use the
knowledge for development.

XVI
 Annex 11: KMS 2022-2031 Results Framework

FREQUENCY RESPONSIB
TARGET
MEANS OF OF DATA ILTY FOR
RESULTS CHAIN AND INDICATOR UNIT OF BASELIN AT
VERIFICATI COLLECTION DATA
DESCRIPTION MEASUREMENT E (date) COMPLETI
ON COLLECTI
ON (date)
ON
A ALIGNMENT INDICATORS
❚ IMPACT STATEMENT: RMCs achieve superior outcomes in their development priorities as articulated in their development plans

B PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
❚ OUTCOME STATEMENT 1 (Strategic Pillar 1): Strengthened Bank internal environment for knowledge management

Percentage of staff 2026 (MTR) and ECVP

members, who rate 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
the level of 17 (KMS uation Team
coordination of 2015-2020
Outcome Indicator 1.1: Level of coordination of
knowledge Completio 60 Staff survey
knowledge management in the Bank
management in the n Report,
Bank as very high or 2021)
highly coordinated
and efficient
Percentage of
external
stakeholders, who
27.8 (KMS
rate the level of
2015-2020 External
Outcome Indicator 1.2: Level of coordination of coordination of 2026 (MTR) and ECVP
Completio 65 stakeholders
knowledge management in the Bank knowledge 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
n Report, survey
management in the uation Team
2021)
Bank as very high or
highly coordinated
and efficient
Percentage of Bank 4.4
ECVP
Outcome Indicator 1.3: Knowledge work becomes more staff in the (2020,
15 Complex,
attractive to Bank staff population of ECVP, yearly ECVP
ECMR
authors and co- ECMR Complex/Eval

XVII
 authors of ADR data) uation Team
articles
❚ OUTCOME STATEMENT 2 (Strategic Pillar 2): Strengthened feedback loops between knowledge and Bank engagement in RMCs

Percentage of staff 2024 (MTR) and ECVP

32 (KMS
members, who rate 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
2015-2020
Outcome Indicator 2.1: The level of usage of available the level of usage of uation Team
Completio 65 (2030) Staff survey
knowledge for priority setting in the Bank available knowledge
n Report,
for priority setting as
2021)
high or very high
Percentage of staff 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
members, who agree 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
with the statement uation Team
that the use of
knowledge
generated and
disseminated by the
41.5 (KMS
Outcome Indicator 2.2: Bank contribute or
2015-2020
Contribution of the knowledge generated and greatly contribute to
Completio
disseminated by the Bank to improved development the improved
n Report 70 Staff survey
effectiveness of Bank operations in the country (i.e better development
staff
development results of lending and technical assistance effectiveness of
survey,
projects/ programs in the country) Bank operations in
2020)
the country i.e better
development results
of lending and
technical assistance
projects/ programs
in the country

Percentage of 35.6 (KMS

external 2015-2020
Outcome Indicator 2.3: stakeholders, who Completio
Contribution of the knowledge generated and agree with the n Report 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
External
disseminated by the Bank to improved development statement that the staff 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
65 stakeholders
effectiveness of Bank operations in the country (i.e better use of knowledge survey, uation Team
survey
development results of lending and technical assistance generated and 2020)
projects/ programs in the country) disseminated by the (KMS
Bank contribute or 2015-2020
greatly contribute to Completio

XVIII
 the improved n Report
development staff
effectiveness of survey,
Bank operations in 2020)
the country i.e better
development results
of lending and
technical assistance
projects/ programs
in the country
Percentage of staff 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
members, who agree 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
with the statement uation Team
42 (KMS
that the use of
2015-2020
Outcome Indicator 2.4: knowledge
Completio
Contribution of the knowledge generated and generated and
n Report 70 Staff survey
disseminated by the Bank to improved development disseminated by the
staff
dialogues in RMCS Bank contribute or
survey,
greatly contribute to
2020)
improved
development
dialogues
Percentage of
external
stakeholders, who 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
agree with the 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
statement that the uation Team
Outcome Indicator 2.5:
use of knowledge
Contribution of the knowledge generated and
generated and 35 60 Staff survey
disseminated by the Bank to improved development
disseminated by the
dialogue in RMCs
Bank contribute or
greatly contribute to
improved
development
dialogues
❚ OUTPUT STATEMENT 1: Credible and readily searchable and retrievable suite of development knowledge products available
OUTPUT INDICATOR 1 Percentage of staff 48 (KMS 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
Bank knowledge products stored in a manner that is members, who agree 2015-2020 70 Staff survey 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
easily accessible with the statement Completion uation Team
that ‘Bank Report staff

XIX
 knowledge products survey,
are stored in a 2020)
manner that is very
easily accessible’
❚ OUTPUT STATEMENT 2: Coordinated and efficient knowledge management function within the Bank
OUTPUT INDICATOR 2.1 Percentage of staff 26 (KMS 55 Staff survey 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
Reduced silo culture in knowledge work members, who agree 2015-2020 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
with the statement Completion uation Team
that ‘they were Report staff
informed or well survey,
informed of the start 2020)
and terms of
reference of
knowledge work by
the team’

OUTPUT INDICATOR 2.2

Incentive framework to make knowledge work attractive Framework No One (1) Staff survey 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
to Bank staff developed and implemented framework framework 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
available available uation Team
2022

OUTPUT INDICATOR 2.3

The following framework are developed and
implemented (i) the Quality Assurance Framework for Framework No The three (3) 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
Bank knowledge products (ii) the Presidential Directive framework frameworks Staff survey 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
on the review process for knowledge products, and (iii) available are available uation Team
the Delegation of Authority Matrix for knowledge 2022
products

Number of
OUTPUT INDICATOR 2.4 knowledge TBD TBD KMS 2022- 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
Suite of effective knowledge partnerships established partnerships 2031 MTR and 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
completion uation Team
reports
5
OUTPUT INDICATOR 2.5 Number of 0 KMS 2022- 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
Communities of practice for Bank staff are structured communities of 2031 MTR and 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
and functional in prioritized High 5 sectors and in the practice completion uation Team

XX
Bank’s operational focus areas reports

4
OUTPUT INDICATOR 2.6 Number of Bank- 0 KMS 2022- 2024 (MTR) and ECVP
KMC coordinates the preparation and implementation of wide annual 2031 MTR and 2031 (Evaluation) Complex/Eval
a Bank-wide annual knowledge work program, which is knowledge work completion uation Team
reflected in the Joint Accountability Framework between programs prepared report
sectors and regions and implemented

XXI
Annex 12: Schedule for the Preparation of the KMS 2022 - 2031

Activity Responsible Party Timeline Status

1.Completion Report of ECVP February 2021 Done
the KMS 2015-2020
2.Request for extension CODE/ECVP March 2021 Done
of KMS 2015-20
3.Approach Paper of the ECVP/IDWG June 2021 Done
KMS (ECVP review and
clearance/Inter-
Departmental Working
Group review and
clearance)
4.Approach Paper SMCC SMCC/ECVP August 2021 Done
review/clearance
5.Approach Paper CODE CODE/ECVP October 2021 Done
review
6.Draft KMS 2022-2031 ECVP October 2021 Done
7.Draft KMS 2022-2031 IDWG/ECVP December 2021/January Done
(Inter-Departmental 2022
Working Group review
and clearance; ECVP
Review and clearance)
8.Draft KMS 2022-2031 ECVP/IDWG December 2021/January Done
(SMCC review and 2022
clearance)
9.Draft KMS 2022-2031 ECVP/IDWG January/February 2022 On track
(CODE review and
clearance)
10. Draft KMS 2022- ECVP/IDWG February/March 2022 On track
2031
(Internal and external
consultations)
11.Draft KMS 2022-2031 CODE/Board/ECVP March 2022 On track
(Board review and
approval)

i
See, for example, Helpman, Elhanan. 2004. The Mystery of Economic Growth. The Belknap Press of Harvard
University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and London, England.
ii
Global Development Network (2017), Doing Research, Pilot Phase Synthesis, Global Development Network,
Program Document. See also Global Development Network (2020) Doing Research in Nigeria, Country report.
iii
Fonn, s. et. al (2018). ‘Repositioning Africa in Global Knowledge Production’. – Lancet Publication:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31068-7.
iv
Global Knowledge Index 2020. UNDP - https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/capacity-
building/Global-Knowledge-Index-2020.html.
v This glossary draws from Stiglitz, Joseph E. 1999. Scan Globally, Reinvent Locally: Knowledge Infrastructure and
the Localization of Knowledge, Keynote Address, First Global Development Network Conference, December 1999;
Bonn; Germany. Helpman, Elhanan. 2004. op.cit. Asian Development Bank. Independent Evaluation Department.
2014. Knowledge Management in International Financial Institutions. Evidence from Evaluation: A synthesis Paper
for the Evaluation Cooperation Group; ECG Paper #7. Jacquet, Pierre. 2019. K4D Mark II: Revisiting the Knowledge-

XXII
for-Development Approach. Asian Development Bank. 2021. Asian Development Bank Knowledge Management
Action Plan 2021-2025. World Intellectual Property Organization. 2020. Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources,
Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions.
vi
This Annex draws from BDEV (2021) ‘Evaluation of the Partnerships of the AfDB, 2008-2019’. Available at:
https://idev.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/Partnerships%20of%20the%20AfDB%20Group%20%28En
%29_Web.pdf.

XXIII