Mr Obama visited the country’s Ubungo power station as part of his “Power Africa” initiative, unveiled in Cape Town on June 30th, which aims to double access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. The Norwegian-built gas plant is the kind of public-private investment that America is seeking to encourage in Africa, where two-thirds of people have no access to power.

Ethiopia, however, is not the sole recipient of aid, loans or developmental assistance from China. The country is fourth on a long list - behind Ghana, Nigeria and Sudan - among the top African beneficiaries of Chinese largesse. Since 2002, China has invested an estimated $75bn on the continent, hot on the heels of the United States, which invested $90bn during the same period. The US might still hold the edge over China on investment, but the Chinese replaced the US as Africa's biggest trade partner in 2009.

Heads of State and Government of African Union Member States, together with representatives of international organizations, civil society organizations, private sector, cooperatives, farmers, youths, academia and other partners have unanimously adopted a Declaration to end hunger in Africa by 2025.

When we assist developing nations, we not only help improve the lives of their own citizens, but also the business environments for private-sector global investment. Our smart investments spur economic reform, advance the rule of law and improve governance to give our businesses the solid footing needed to move into Africa and grow.

Heads of state of Petrocaribe nations have ended a summit in Nicaragua with agreements to promote a regional economic bloc to increase the flow of food and services among member nations. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said Saturday that summit participants decided to create working groups in transportation and communications, productive alliances, tourism, trade and commercial facilities to go "beyond the false concepts of free trade."

Kerry said this "victory for the human spirit" shows what can happen when people overcome ideologies and politics. Signed into law by George W. Bush, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, is the world's largest and one of the most successful foreign assistance programs.

It is not hard to outshine the West in Africa, given the horrifying record of Western nations there. As I have documented in my Monitor article “The Ravaging of Africa” (October 2002) and the radio documentary of the same title (2007), U.S. imperial strategy towards Africa has devastated the continent.

Food aid is a hot topic in the world of foreign policy these days. Though the U.S. Government’s Food for Peace program is housed in America’s international development agency, food aid is public diplomacy.