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The purpose of this paper is to outline the S&T and innovation policy challenges that Rwanda is experiencing in building a knowledge-based economy and draw some more general lessons for African countries.

The approach is based on methodological framework of country reviews used by international organizations in the field of science, technology and innovation policies.

The paper presents government policies that have been decisive for the good performance of the country in rebuilding its economy and society since the genocide (1994). It highlights the policy measures that have been taken in the fields of education, information and communication technologies, industry, science and so on with a view to put the country on a knowledge-driven development process. It pinpoints the need for more proactive policies to stimulate the diffusion of new technologies and innovation throughout the economy and the different sectors, including agriculture which employs still 80 percent of the population.

The paper is based on a short field mission (conducted for an international organization) and the collection of published data, in focusing on important messages that should be given to the government, without an in-depth empirical and detailed research.

The paper is a kind of summary of a 80-page report to be published in the course of 2017. It is expected that the analysis will be clear enough to stimulate appropriate action by the Government of Rwanda.

There is no direct social implications, but one may expect that the ideas if adopted by the government will help improving the living conditions in the country.

Such country reviews performed by international organizations are unique. They provide key insights on the innovation climate and policy of the nation that is studied, while they offer useful perspectives for countries at similar level of development.

This paper aims to postulate that countries which are either geographical or cultural islands, (defined as countries that are surrounded by neighboring countries that do not speak the same language), tend to experience higher rates of economic growth, all other things being equal.

Using historical macroeconomic data for a large number of countries and statistical growth regressions that include island dummy variables as explanatory variables, this paper shows that there is econometric evidence supporting the theory of the island factor.

The findings highlight the importance of a cohesive society with a strong sense of identity while being economically open to global competitive forces. This island mindset acts as a catalyst for enhanced economic growth.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, the island factor is a new and untested hypothesis. Moreover, the paper contributes to the literature on cultural diversity and growth by showing that cultural diversity among neighboring countries is an important factor for economic development.

The purpose of this article is to discuss issues raised at The 1st World Conference on Intellectual Capital for Communities in the Knowledge Economy: Nations, Regions and Cities, which took place in Paris, June 20, 2005.

The conference was structured into four sessions: intellectual capital and the knowledge economy; intellectual capital for nations; intellectual capital for regions; and looking at the future.

Finds that there is a gap that must be addressed. There are very few actual case studies that articulate how a knowledge economy is nurtured and operates on a regional and local basis.

This article is based on the first conference, which was a remarkable convocation and springboard event and will be of interest to those in the field of intellectual capital.