Nation branding is an increasingly important and influential field of theory and practice which attempts to measure a country's reputation and provide guidance on a country's image management around the world.

The 21st century is often hailed as China's century...Enhancing public diplomacy and pursuing a more considerate foreign policy in the region can improve American perceptions on China and result in significant long-term returns that better ensure the prosperity of both nations.

While China, with its unquenchable thirst for raw materials, has targeted nations across Africa, nowhere has it been more determined to pursue its interests than in Zambia. Sata says he's determined to stop China doing as it pleases in one of Africa's most resource-rich nations.

Given the financial fiasco in the EU in the past two years, EU partisans now seem to be significantly overrating the appeal of membership to prospective candidate nations. Yet that message does not appear to have penetrated the thinking of either Western political leaders or pundits in the policy community.The EU is still the great brass ring of European politics, but it is now a tarnished brass ring.

When USAID -- the agency tasked with representing American interests worldwide by improving lives outside of U.S. borders--succeeds, we all benefit. We invest less than 1% of the federal budget in strengthening the health and economic development in other countries, and we get incredible results.

Tightened budgets in recent years all but pushed these sister-city efforts into obscurity, but thanks to persistence and local fundraising, the cross-cultural and cross-global friendships are enjoying something of a revival.

“As a country needs more top-class athletes in the Olympic Games to promote sports, we need more top-class economic players to make a name for themselves in the world and improve our technology. This is something that we have done well and will continue to do so,” she added.

Nations are brands because people perceive them as brands. Few Ghanaians have time to learn what most countries are really like, so we navigate through the complexity of the modern world armed with a few simple clichés about places. The writer wants to know: What about Ghana? What are we going to use as a brand to attract people from outside Ghana?