According to a recently released report, India is among the top-10 most powerful countries in the world. This is a first-of-its-kind study of "national power" by leading strategic experts and scholars from the Foundation for National Security Research (FSNR) in New Delhi.

Speaking at a forum in Washington DC, dedicated to transatlantic partnership, Plevneliev explained that from his own experience as former businessman, he learned that 70% of business success can be attributed to good communications and trust, which remained problematic for Bulgaria.

Projects funded by the Chinese include gyms and stadiums in Ghana, a hospital in Zambia and an opera house in Algeria. We also look at a Chinese footwear manufacturer's plans to create a global hub for the shoe industry in Ethiopia, and discuss reaction in China to the government's huge investments in Africa. Browse it all on our series page.

From a foreigner`s view, Korea is a very impressive country. In just 50 years or so, Korea overcame the disasters of war and division of two Koreas through utmost effort and sacrifice, and became the world`s seventh largest exporter. The country exhibited an unprecedented pace of economic growth as exemplified by the "Miracle of Han River," the story of which is much touted among foreigners.

While Malaysia does have attractive attributes as a tourist destination, its image abroad can be boosted by creating brand awareness. German tour operators who offer Malaysia in their tour programmes are upbeat about the attractiveness of the country to German tourists, but they want the country to be as well-known as Thailand and Bali.

If a scientific global ‘perceptions survey’ were to be carried out today about the country, the most powerful images that come to mind are probably these: Kenya as the land of ‘Kitu Kidogo’, Kenya as the country of great long-distance runners (last year Kenyans won 31 of the 43 IAAF marathons – an impressive 72%); and Kenya as the country of M-PESA and Ushahidi technological innovations.

“The British Council has responded to challenging financial conditions since the 2010 Spending Review and we are glad that the Committee has recognised that we have continued to successfully deliver our work and be “a major instrument of UK public diplomacy and ‘soft power’”.

Countries from all over the world have converged at the second annual Nation Branding and Investment Expo in Netherlands, as the Brand Kenya Board coordinates initiatives for marketing the country in order to maximize its efficiency and maintain a good image. The expo allows Brand Kenya to position the country optimally in terms of investment, credit worthiness, tourism and international relations.