1. China in Africa

New AU HQ marks strong China-Africa ties
Towering above the Ethiopian capital, cloaked in urban smog, the new Chinese-built African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa is a bold symbol of China's rapidly changing role in Africa. Once seen as strictly interested in extracting raw resources and investing in infrastructure, China has interests on the continent that are increasingly shifting to investing in institutions and governments, experts say.
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Oil price row closes China-built refinery in Chad
Chad authorities on Thursday shut down a major new oil refinery amid a price row with its Chinese owners, sources said. The Djarmaya refinery, located 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of the Chadian capital Ndjamena, was inaugurated last June by President Idriss Deby Itno who described it as a "gift from China" that would offer energy independence to his land-locked central African nation.
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Ethiopia, China sign 7 agreements
Ethiopia and China here on Saturday signed seven economic and technical agreements to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Accordingly, the two governments signed two economic and technical cooperation agreements to provide grant and interest-free loan to Ethiopia.
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China to Build Ministerial Complex
The new ministry of health built by the Chinese government in Oldest Congo town is named "Joseph Nagbe Togba, Sr. M.D. Office Complex, in memory of Liberia's first medical doctor who also served as the first general administrator of the JFK Medical Center. During the dedicatory ceremony of the new Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Thursday, the Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Zhao Jianhua disclosed that Beijing will grant Liberia US$50m to build a modern ministerial complex within three years beginning mid 2012.
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FM: China stays firmly committed to advancing ties with Africa
China will firmly stand together with African countries while unswervingly pushing forward Sino-African strategic partnership, no matter how the international environment changes, said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun Thursday. Zhai made the remarks in a signed article on top Chinese political advisor Jia Qinglin's upcoming visit to Africa.
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2. India in Africa

Ethiopia seeks India's financial muscle for its rail project
Ethiopia wants $300 million more from India for an ambitious railway project that would connect it with neighbouring Djibouti, a venture that India backs as part of its "support for regional integration in Africa". India has already inked a loan agreement worth $300 million for the railway project. However, the loan from New Delhi is yet to be disbursed.
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3. In Other Emerging Powers News

IBSA deeply disappointed over Doha impasse
Expressing disappointment over impasse in WTO Doha talks for a global trade deal, India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) on Saturday underscored the need for resisting protectionism in the current economic scenario. “Global economic conditions are challenging, this is almost fourth year of recession. The only way is to engage more and work for a multilateral trade regime,” Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told reporters here.
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Russia wants AU pledge for UN seat
RUSSIA will support a bid by African countries for a permanent seat on the United Nations (UN) Security Council only if there is "consensus and unanimity" in the African Union (AU) on which country will best represent the continent’s interests.
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Russia to pull helicopters from South Sudan
Russia will withdraw its helicopters and personnel servicing the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Sudan, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, a move that will cause problems for the stretched mission. The move followed expressions of concern by Russian diplomats over security in South Sudan, including attacks on helicopters operated by Russia's military.
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4. Blogs, Opinions, Presentations and Publications

Will China help out the West in Sudan?
China, which purchases much of the oil from East Africa and provides investment and armaments to the Sudanese government in return, has suffered abuse and derision for its engagement with Khartoum. But perhaps only China has the deep pockets and appetite for risk to buy the world's way out of its Sudan problem: a problem created largely by Western fecklessness.
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