Evaluation of Competitiveness and Sustainable Development Prospects of French-Speaking African Countries Based on TOPSIS and Adaptive LASSO Algorithms

• Published in: Algorithms Vol. 18; no. 8; p. 474
• Main Authors: Liu, Binglin, Li, Liwen, Ren, Hang, Qin, Jianwan, Liu, Weijiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.08.2025
• Subjects: Adaptive algorithms; adaptive LASSO algorithm; Algeria; Algorithms; Artificial intelligence; Central African Republic; China; Coastal zone; Collaboration; competitiveness evaluation; Computational linguistics; Congo (Kinshasa); Cooperation; Decision-making; Exports; Financial markets; Foreign investment; France; French-speaking African countries; Global economy; Innovations; Language processing; Morocco; Multivariate analysis; Natural language interfaces; Natural language processing; Natural resources; Northern Africa; Patent applications; R&D; Research & development; Reserves; South Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Sustainable development; TOPSIS method; Northern Africa; Morocco; China; Congo (Kinshasa); South Africa; Algeria; Central African Republic; France; Sub-Saharan Africa
• ISSN: 1999-4893; 1999-4893
• DOI: 10.3390/a18080474

This study evaluates the competitiveness and sustainable development prospects of French-speaking African countries by constructing a comprehensive framework integrating the TOPSIS method and adaptive LASSO algorithm. Using multivariate data from sources such as the World Bank, 30 indicators covering core, basic, and auxiliary competitiveness were selected to quantitatively analyze the competitiveness of 26 French-speaking African countries. Results show that their comprehensive competitiveness exhibits spatial patterns of “high in the north and south, low in the east and west” and “high in coastal areas, low in inland areas”. Algeria, Morocco, and six other countries demonstrate high competitiveness, while Central African countries generally show low competitiveness. The adaptive LASSO algorithm identifies three key influencing factors, including the proportion of R&D expenditure to GDP, high-tech exports, and total reserves, as well as five secondary key factors, including the number of patent applications and total number of domestic listed companies, revealing that scientific and technological investment, financial strength, and innovation transformation capabilities are core constraints. Based on these findings, sustainable development strategies are proposed, such as strengthening scientific and technological research and development and innovation transformation, optimizing financial reserves and capital markets, and promoting China–Africa collaborative cooperation, providing decision-making references for competitiveness improvement and regional cooperation of French-speaking African countries under the background of the “Belt and Road Initiative”.