With huge trade and investment relations with Germany, Qatar has been accorded as the “most important Arab investor” by the Europe’s largest economy. The envoy said: “Qatar is the most important Arab investor in Germany. During the visit of His Highness a lot of focus was given to further strengthen bilateral economic and cultural ties between the two countries.”

Britain will promote new links with businesses  to manage scarce natural resources and stop deforestation in the developing world, International Development Secretary Justine Greening has announced.  The UK Government’s Department for International Development says it will establish new partnerships between businesses and farmers in developing countries to create multinational supply chains free from unsustainable deforestation.

The Foreign Ministry has been running a diplomatic campaign in world capitals in recent weeks to get them to cancel their travel advisories to Israel, which they issued to their citizens during Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. Foreign Ministry officials fear that every day the advisories remain in effect is damaging to both tourism and investments from abroad. 

“Africa’s development is not only an important economic growth story, it is also a development story,” said minister Christian Paradis.  In his address to Canadian and African businesses, the minister added that economic growth was critical to creating better communities.

China and Southeast Asia are more intertwined than ever. Trade between these two regions is booming, and Chinese investors are pouring into Southeast Asia. China is fully involved in most regional security meetings organised by Asean. This era of Sino-Southeast Asian relations should therefore be a golden age bringing mutual peace and prosperity for all concerned.

Emerging donor South Korea has high hopes for Myanmar, and the latest step is to establish a new think tank to assist in policy, capacity building and research efforts in the country, as well as boost Seoul’s own development footprint in Southeast Asia.

Plans for the two phased project, which will cover an area of 65 square kilometres in Jebel Ali, was unveiled to His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, over the weekend. With the vision behind Dubai's aviation master plan now crystallised, the city's entire economy is set to benefit significantly.

Israel will sign a deal to supply natural gas from its Leviathan field to Jordan for 15 years, Israeli Energy Minister Silvan Shalom said on Wednesday.  An industry official who asked not to be identified said the deal was worth about $15 billion.