Africa's agricultural sector has enormous scope for development, which would benefit both the continent's economy and its people. A recent report from the African Development Bank Group has noted that advancements in agriculture would have a direct and positive effect on poverty....

As African economies boom and businesses are created, one of the big questions this growth raises is that of third-level education: how can Africa develop a knowledge infrastructure to rival that of the west, a sort of Harvard University in Africa? And what should African philanthropists do to foster the...

I recently wrote about foreign direct investment in Africa and the prospect of engagement among developing nations and the BRICS. But in order for sustainable development to be achieved across the continent, smart input from Africa's own entrepreneurs and institutions must also occur. The question of intra-regional African...

Africa's informal economy is one of the most innovative and inventive environments in the world. Yet it is an environment with little regulation in which workers are often exposed to hard conditions and live without a safety net. Technological advances mean that with a mobile phone, an African can start...

Nul n'ignore que l'Afrique connaît une croissance indéniable. En 2012, six des dix économies ayant connu la croissance la plus rapide sont des économies d'Afrique subsaharienne et cette tendance ne montre aucun signe de ralentissement. En 2012, la croissance a atteint 5,3 % et elle devrait encore augmenter cette année.

La...

I spent the past two days in Durban, where I attended the fifth BRICS summit. One of the most notable things about the conference was the prominent African presence there. Fifteen African heads of state were invited including leaders from Angola, Republic of Congo, Egypt, Guinea,...

I am writing this from the BRICS summit in Durban, where it is clear that the huge momentum of these emerging markets --especially when it comes to their relationship with Africa -- is not slowing down. Over the last few days, I have spoken with heads of business and heads...

It's no secret that Africa has become a major success story. In 2012, six of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies were in sub-Saharan Africa, and this trend shows no signs of slowing. In 2012, growth hit 5.3 percent and it is predicted to increase this year....

At the launch of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo's foundation last month, I had the privilege of moderating a panel with the Presidents of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Benin in front of 1,000 business and political leaders. The former Nigerian head of state and his peers spoke eloquently about the need...

Since the Olympic extravaganza we saw in London this summer, there has been an increasing focus on the role that sports can play in society. In the UK, Britain's Mo Farah recently joined London's mayor, Boris Johnson, spearheading a campaign to improve child fitness. In the U.S., Michelle...

This has been an astonishing summer for sport. Not only has the Olympics dazzled the world with its four-yearly showcase of incredible talent; the Paralympics that followed, and which ended on September 9, have put a whole new and unique set of gifts on display.

These large-scale events demonstrate the...

This last week, Russia has been in the headlines and in particular Vladivostok, where the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit is occurring. A diverse set of pressing topics are being discussed - the challenges of globalization, the constraints imposed by natural resources, and the various threats to political...

Last week, the renowned Augusta Golf Course in Georgia -- host of the famed Masters Tournament -- admitted women as members for the first time. The first two women to join were trailblazers in their own right: Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State, who was also the...

The Olympics opens formally today. Unfortunately despite such a happy event, the news of recent weeks has been fraught with drama and ongoing crises. Between the bloody oppression of the Syrian regime, the killing spree in Colorado, and the never-ending economic problems in

At the Times Center in New York a couple of weeks ago my company organized a conference. The subject matter was broad, ranging from immigration to business. But at the heart of our day of talks and panel discussions was the U.S. relationship with China.

That's because it...

All nations in the world, the United States included, have experienced changes over the past 1- or 15 years; but few have seen such swift developments as China. Its growth has eclipsed that of many western countries and it has made vast leaps forward in societal and economic progress.

Earlier today, the Malian Parliament speaker Dioncounda Traore was sworn in as interim president of the country. A spokeswoman for the US Department of State described this as a "very good step" for Mali, and that's because it is. Indeed, I would go further: in my...

While I usually speak about economic issues or geopolitic or global issues, today I would like to discuss an issue that's about care for our kids, about the next generation and about a specific danger they are facing: suicide.

When we think of the threats that our children face out...

Last week in Rabat, Morocco, we launched the Global Food Security Forum, which was created as an initiative of OCP Group (the world's leading provider of phosphates based in Morocco). We felt the particularly urgent need to do this now, because as climate change affects weather patterns across...

As Europe and the US struggle to get their finances in order, and the BRIC nations do their best to build on recent successes, another continent has been quietly gaining pace. And lately not so quietly.

Last year a stream of articles appeared in the Financial Times...