The co-constitutive nature of local and global interests, disjunctive flows of capital, information, people, and knowledge on the global knowledgescape and the new politics of knowledge capital, are making their impact on economic and social behaviour. New communities and networks across social and political borders forged by quickening flows of people and information worldwide have given rise to a globalised knowledge community. Different patterns of knowledge, research alliances, and social relationships are emerging.

Increasingly sophisticated communications and information technologies have enabled new forms of community and knowledge exchange. Old boundaries and sovereignties are eroding as new formations take shape.

The need for a KM player on the African continent to provide leadership for enabling practice on the ‘how to’ of knowledge sharing to a diverse audience is glaring. That player would foster connections across varying boundaries to create a ‘knowledge bank’ that links expertise with demand.

KMAfrica proposes to be that knowledge engine that drives appropriate development solutions for Africa. Its mission is to promote the use of Africa's collective knowledge as a key development resource and establish knowledge management platforms that will create access to existing networks and facilitate the sharing and utilisation of knowledge across all sectors.

Its role will also be to advocate and enhance a policy environment in Africa that retains rather than alienates African knowledge and the skilled professionals who are continually being lost to the continent in exchange for expensive international personnel.

It will do so by providing a knowledge hub to facilitate networking and the mobilisation of various networks. The hub will create a discourse between continental and international experts on knowledge management, and facilitate the sharing of ideas and experiences. In so doing, it will develop a continental perspective on the interface between knowledge and development. In addition, the hub will connect institutions and organisations through a variety of forums: the internet, workshops, and other face-to-face interventions.