From a digital perspective, 2016 has arguably been the year of emotions running high [...] The fact that people are emotional beings is hardly a secret, of course, especially when tragedies or high-stakes political affairs are involved. What digital platforms have brought to the table is a rather new form of commodification of human emotions as instruments of social exchange.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is currently on a tour across Africa, where he is busy shaking hands with dignitaries and posing for photo ops, . Wang's New Year's visits to the African continent are almost a tradition, this time he is in Madagascar, Tanzania, Zambia, Congo and Nigeria. Zambia wants to become a transport and logistics hub in southern Africa and Wang has promised help. [...] China is investing heavily in Africa. 

Africa has been the centre of Nigerian foreign policy as a regional power and by attachment to several fundamental principles, including her unity and independence, capability to exercise influence in the region, peaceful settlement of disputes [...] There was however the need for a robust policy instrument to achieve these aims and which undoubtedly needed constant review to match the dynamics of the ever changing world and global politics. 

Ethiopia and Sudan enjoy a well established historical relationship that dates back to the civilizations of Axum and Meroe states. This historic relation exhibits age-old political, economic, social and cultural bond that resulted in bolstering the dynamic relations. This relation is one of the several strong bilateral relations Ethiopia has been cultivating diligently with the neighboring nations over years.

It has been an encouraging year for our partnership with Africa. Alongside our African partners, we have made significant progress advancing democracy, peace, and prosperity throughout the continent, though challenges, of course, remain.

China's policy towards Africa has the potential to lift the continent out of poverty if all its contents are implemented accordingly. In the last nine years, the Asian economic giant released two position papers on its policy on Africa, which act as guidelines to its dealings with the continent.

Pyongyang began exporting statues to Africa in the late 1960s, when a wave of independence movements created a new market of ideologically friendly leaders in search of grand symbols to bolster national identity and claims of political legitimacy. North Korea, looking to expand its diplomatic ties vis a vis rival Seoul, initially provided the works for free. It only started selling them from about 2000.