Considering Africa’s lackluster performance, it is no coincidence that many African countries and global development institutions are now prioritizing a strategy of trade over aid. But what if focusing on trade—such as partnerships with Chinese and American governments and companies—is the wrong way to look at the problem? What if instead, African countries focused on innovation? The opportunities for growth and prosperity would be much brighter.

Sakakibara stressed the importance of the Kingdom’s economic role for Japan and the keenness of the Japanese business sector toward the achievement of the strategic economic and developmental objectives of the Saudi-Japanese Vision 2030 that aims to bolster bilateral cooperation.

She said India's investments in Africa had also received a boost in recent years as African countries were receiving strong investment interest from India due to their high growth markets and mineral rich reserves. Indian President Shri Pranab Mukherjee said his Government was committed to further strengthening partnerships with Africa for mutual benefit.

The threads that connect India and Sri Lanka are many. From mythology to history to civilizational, cultural, commercial and people-to-people ties, there are layers and layers of what we mean for each other. We have the profound advantage of not having to look hard for similarities and bonds. The question is how to encash these advantages and maximise our mutual benefit?

Saudi Arabia aims to promote itself as an attractive touristic destination owing to its diverse landscape and archaeological treasure, currently little known owing to decade-old lack of state interest. In years to come, Riyadh plans to gradually introduce tourist visa to people of all nationalities, with the condition that the visitors will respect the local culture and traditions. Currently, eight million religious tourists visit the country to perform umrah and hajj.

A Chinese Diplomat has recalled the vital role African countries played in ensuring that the People’s Republic of China regained its status at the United Nations, while calling on African journalists to help strengthen the ties between Africa and China. [...] “So China and African countries are forever friends; China has returned to the United Nations mainly due to the support from African friends."

The Business and Sustainable Development Commission which was launched in Davos in January 2016, has the Managing Director of LADOL Dr. Amy Jadesimi as a member from Nigeria alongside other 36 global business entrepreneurs drawn from business, finance, civil society, labour, and international organizations across the world. [...] the body essentially deliberated on ways of getting the African continent to optimally benefit from the huge projection with the conclusion that the continent could rake in $1 trillion dollars from the projected $12 trillion largesse, if well harnessed.

"Africa will become Indonesias priority in 2017. We will enhance our relations with Africa," Director of African Affairs of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry Daniel Tumpal Simanjuntak stated recently. [...] The two ministers co-chaired a meeting of Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation focusing on intensifying economic cooperation between both nations.