Several people sent in questions to Alex de Waal in response to his article, "African Roles in the Libyan Conflict of 2011″ available in the March 2013 edition of International Affairs. Below are de Waal's responses.

Across Africa, the growing presence of Chinese investments in economy and infrastructure is evident. In the last ten years, various state-owned firms, even a number of private companies, have become major investors in Africa with China being the single largest bilateral source of annual foreign investment in Africa. Indeed Chinese investment permeates almost every sector of Africa’s economy. As of mid-2012, China’s Ministry of Commerce estimated that cumulated foreign direct investment in Africa had exceeded $14.7 billion.

The International Conference on the African Union & Cultural Diplomacy is a gathering within the African continent that seeks to highlight Africa´s self-attained achievements with regards to its standing in the international community as well as it´s increasing emancipation from the often assumed dependency on the Western world. Applications to participate in the conference are now open.

While some suggest suspension of the ongoing gradual switch off of the analogue technology implemented in region after region, others call for more time for preparation as the agreed international deadline is June, 2015. The Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT), for example, requested the government to reconsider the decision, saying the digital migration has left thousands of ordinary viewers in Dar es Salaam, Tanga and Dodoma regions by failing to afford decoders.

Stories of rape, gun crime, police brutality and obscene levels of violence flashed across the globe, overshadowing the country's breathtaking landscapes, stunning wildlife and the joy of the 2010 football world cup. “South Africa's seemingly untouchable reputation started to wane,” said Dion Chang, founder of Flux Trends analysts. “The death of a Mozambican taxi driver at the hands of the police invoked apartheid style brutality, and Oscar Pistorius brought South Africa the harshest form of unwanted publicity.”

Sixteen Moldovan journalists and civil society activists, keen on using media as a tool to make government more transparent, have just completed a Broadcasting Board of Governors-sponsored workshop that focused on using mobile phones and new media tools to promote the free flow of information.

Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun on Monday urged Chinese businesses in Africa to work for mutual benefits and shared development. Zhai made the call at a forum on Chinese businesses in Africa, which was hosted by China Public Diplomacy Association and attended by Chinese enterprises, academics, and African diplomats in Beijing.

Since 2009, the U.S. Department of State has worked to strengthen and deepen U.S. diplomacy and development around the world through public-private partnerships (PPPs) that leverage creativity and innovation for greater impact. The proactive pursuit of PPPs by the State Department offers tremendous public diplomacy opportunities. To date, the State Department has worked with over 1,100 partners to support key foreign policy objectives.