The dynamics of the global economy are shifting apace. With uncertainty in developed markets such as the UK, the US and Europe, many brands are looking beyond their traditional customer bases in search of new opportunities and sources of growth. Africa, the world’s poorest continent but also the most untapped by consumer brands, looks set to benefit.

Every year, thousands of tourist flock the region to experience the auspicious Holi and much more reaches there just to embrace austerity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha has chosen Varanasi -- India's spiritual capital to represent the country on the international diplomacy map. The VIP city will play host to G20 financial and economic policy mandarins who will brainstorm on the state of the global economy next week. 

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.

Sino-Indian relations saw an upswing when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited India in 2014, and India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, returned the visit in 2015. Both leaders agreed to focus on improving bilateral relations through commerce and trade. China agreed to partner with India in accelerating its economic development by investing in various infrastructural projects and also setting up manufacturing facilities in India.

[I]nvesting is now global – and policy decisions made by individual nations have significant consequences. As government leaders seek to attract capital, they need to think about themselves in a new way: as brands. [...] Countries can no longer afford to operate in isolation, unconcerned with establishing and growing international business relations. 

Almost a third of the international students were from China — which means that the country’s economic slump could hit U.S. institutions hard […] And while the numbers of Chinese undergraduate and graduate students in the U.S. increased last year by 13% and 4%, respectively, that pace was down considerably from the 18% and 12% growth of 2013-14.