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The article reports that South Africa has been formally invited to join the group of emerging economies called BRIC, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Experts believe that the accession of South Africa is in consideration of the group's economic interest in Africa. Critics noted the sluggish economic growth of the country compared with the economies of the original members. Bilateral trade between China and South Africa has also rapidly grown.

The article reports on the rise of foreign direct investments (FDI) in Africa over the last 12 months. The inflows reached $38.8 billion in 2006, which is record-breaking 26.5 percent rise. According to the author, there are diverse key sources of inflows and a rise in the investments led by China, India, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia. The challenge of Africa is to seize this opportunity to help promote domestic productive capacities to allow for a long-term wider economic and human development.

The article reports that Malawi cut its diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established ties with China. According to Malawi's Foreign Affairs Minister Joyce Banda, the decision was made after considering the benefits that it would bring to their country. Moreover, Lilongwe and Beijing had formalized its diplomatic ties last December 27, 2007. China's government and its companies have invested in Africa in a bid to build political influence in the developing country, and others. Meanwhile, Banda claimed that projects funded by Taiwan won't be affected by the change in their diplomatic relations.

The article reports on the infrastructure deal between the China and the Democratic Republic of Congo estimated to be valued at U.S. $9.2 billion. The agreement secures 10.62 million tones of copper and 620,000 tons of cobalt for resource-hungry industries. Congo will benefit from the construction of hundreds of clinics, hospitals and schools, two hydroelectric dams, and more than 3,000 kilometers of road and railway. The major routes to be built by the Chinese in Congo would link the mineral-rich south to its ports in the west and connect the north to the south.

The article reports that the China-Africa Development Fund worth $5bn, which is noted by Beijing as an economic assistance, will be utilized for Chinese enterprises and its projects for Africa. Relative to this, development experts believes that this tying aid to purchasing services and goods from the donor country is inefficient and wasteful while majority of the donor governments have been abandoning it because they that tying aid minimizes its effectiveness by as much as a quarter. On the other hand, most of the aid assistance of Beijing to Africa requires the construction of infrastructure and other contracts to be divided up.

The article reports on the aid and trade relation between European Union (EU) and Africa to counter China in the quest for energy and other resources. It aims to position Europe more favorably than China in terms of economic growth. The comment from the European Commission on EU's partnership with Africa is stated. In relation, it also offers information on the EU-Africa summit to be held in December in Lisbon, Portugal, wherein efforts to improve control of African migration to Europe and human trafficking will be discussed.