The U.S. Department of State plans to send circus experts, acrobats or clowns to schools in Turkmenistan as part of a cultural exchange program. [...] “Through this program, Turkmen students and faculty of the Circus Arts Department will have a chance to work and learn from American professionals in a series of master-classes,” the grant summary says.

Central Europe continues to actively court Chinese investment. But increased coziness with Beijing comes with tradeoffs, including a loss in influence for the region’s traditional ally, the United States. [...] The question is: How much is Chinese investment worth, in terms of domestic politics and international goodwill? 

The scholarship winners would pursue their high learning education in the top Chinese universities [...] Handing out credentials to the winners at a ceremony held on the premises of the embassy yesterday Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia La Yifan said that over the year the Chinese government has granted 236 scholarship to Ethiopian students.

The 2012 image of Britain’s new Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, waving the Union Jack while haplessly snagged on a zipline above London, seems an apt image for the situation he has inherited, and indeed played a major part in creating. [...] this piece is limited to considering the implications of “Boris Diplomacy” for British public diplomacy and soft power.

Digital platforms are enabling an era of digital diplomacy – but, says British High Commissioner to Ghana Jon Benjamin, there are certain rules of the game that need to be taken into account. [...] But here’s something different that touches on both aspects, but is itself a discipline in its own right – diplomacy in the digital age.

Marking half a century of strong diplomatic relations, the United States and Singapore on Wednesday (Aug 3) laid out an ambitious vision for future bilateral cooperation in a wide spectrum of areas across defence, cybersecurity, innovation, trade and people-to-people exchanges. [...] The joint statement is the most substantive outcome of Mr Lee’s official visit this week to the US to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

In the nine short months that the Trudeau government has been in office, there has been a significant shift in the tone and frequency of Canada’s international development commitments. Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Minister of International Development is not afraid of doing things differently, a reason why we’re once again being recognized as a leader on international assistance and humanitarian issues.

For a start the state government noted that it began with the creation of the Ministry of Culture and Ijaw National Affairs as a way of resuscitating and promoting the Ijaw culture. Governor Seriake Dickson says that the establishment of the Ijaw House, the completion of the Ijaw Heroes Memorial Park, institution of the Ijaw Film Project, among others are ways that he is ensuring that the Ijaw culture is enriched.