On August 15, 2025, the China-Africa Friendly Economic and Trade Development Foundation and Development Reimagined formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Beijing, aiming to deepen cooperation between the two parties and jointly advance China-Africa investment matchmaking, industrial upgrading,
Date published: July 29, 2025. The 5th African Ambassadors Retreat on China-Africa Cooperation concluded in Beijing on July 25, marking another successful gathering of African diplomats and strategic partners dedicated to deepening Africa-China collaboration. Co-hosted by the Embassy of the
In June 2025, as African and Chinese leaders reconvened in Changsha for the FOCAC follow‑up coordination meeting, they reaffirmed the momentum sparked by last year’s Beijing Summit — widely hailed as the most successful Africa+1 summit ever held. Since then,
Date Published: March 14, 2025. Development Reimagined proudly launches its latest discussion paper, “How to Implement China’s Support for Africa’s Green Industrialisation.” This paper explores strategies for advancing sustainable industrial growth across Africa through strengthened China-Africa collaboration. It highlights key
Date Published: September 20, 2024. On August 29th, Development Reimagined together with the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) hosted a webinar on Reimagining the Current Global Governance System to Work for Africa and Prospects for China-Africa Cooperation at CCG
Date Published: August 28, 2024. The past two decades have seen significant progress in Africa-China cooperation with the creation of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). From an early emphasis on political cooperation, Africa-China cooperation under FOCAC has evolved to
Date Published: August 24, 2024. Keynote Speech delivered by Development Reimagined CEO Hannah Ryder during the 2024 Chinese Investment in Africa report launch with China-Africa Business Council Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Congratulations on the launch of the 2024
Date Published: August 15, 2024. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has been a significant cooperative mechanism between China and African states since its creation in 2000. The mechanism is designed to bring together African states and Chinese counterparts to
Date Published: July 22, 2024. The UN Country Team in China, in collaboration with the Embassy of Senegal (FOCAC Co-Chair), the Permanent Mission of the African Union in China, organized an event titled “Symposium on the Priorities of China-Africa Cooperation
Date Published: June 25, 2024. The African Union Permanent Mission to China and Development Reimagined (DR) organised a roundtable discussion on the theme “Fostering Prosperity: Boosting & Diversifying Africa’s Exports to China” on June 25, 2024, at the African Union’s
Development Reimagined’s China Africa Climate Action Tracker is an interactive database tracing China’s climate footprint in African countries since the announcement of the China-Africa Climate Declarations during the 8th FOCAC in Nov 2021, with regular updates leading up to the
Development Reimagined’s China Africa Climate Action Tracker is an interactive database tracing China’s climate footprint in African countries since the announcement of the China-Africa Climate Declarations during the 8th FOCAC in Nov 2021, with regular updates leading up to the
Date Published: April 25, 2024. The 4th African Ambassadors in China Retreat, jointly organized by Development Reimagined and the African Union Representative Office in China, took place on April 23-24, 2024, at DeYun Wedding Hall in Beijing, China. The retreat
Date Published: February 29, 2024. If you are looking to understand or invest in large scale renewable energy on the African continent, look no further! Today, Development Reimagined has launched our new Renewable Energy Briefings. The briefings are designed to
Date Published: February 5, 2024. Since the announcement of the China-Africa Climate Declaration during the 8th FOCAC in November 2021, there has been a surge in efforts to comprehensively document Chinese climate-related projects in Africa. While existing information primarily focuses
Date Published: December 18, 2023. Speech delivered by Development Reimagined Analyst Huiyi Chen during a thematic session hosted by the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation (CAITEC) in Beijing in December 2023. FULL SPEECH BELOW Thank you very
Date Published: December 12, 2023. Speech Delivered By Development Reimagined CEO Hannah Wanjie Ryder at The Seminar on Deepening High-Quality Health Development Cooperation to Build a Global Community of Health for All, December 12th 2023 Your Excellency Mr. Zhongdong Tang
Date Published: November 15, 2023. Development Reimagined (DR) supported UNAIDS (China), the African Union, and the Embassy of Senegal in a strategic consultative meeting titled: “Towards a China-AU-UN Tripartite Framework for Action on Local Production of Medicines and Health Commodities
Date Published: November 2, 2023. Speech delivered by Development Reimagined CEO Hannah Ryder during the launch of the 2023 Chinese Investment in Africa report and the Senior Officials meeting on FOCAC, 24th October 2023. Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Date Published: September 9, 2023. At the recent BRICS summit held in South Africa, two important trade deals were agreed between the presidents of South Africa and China. Firstly, an agreement to allow South African avocados to enter the Chinese
Date Published: September 5, 2023. Development Reimagined in partnership with the African Union Permanent Mission in Beijing convened an evening with Professor Deborah Brautigam, the Director of the China-Africa Research Initiative, and Bernard L. Schwartz Professor of Political Economy Emerita
Date Published: August 29, 2023. On May 30, 2023, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), supported by Development Reimagined (DR) hosted a roundtable discussion titled “Joining Hands to Realize an Africa-Led Biodiversity and Development Agenda.” This inclusive event drew the participation
Date Published: August 9, 2023. In continuation of its strategy to assist African businesses in increasing their presence in the international arena, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and international consultants Development Reimagined (DR) have entered into a partnership to promote
Date Published: August 9, 2023. In a significant step towards enhancing collaboration, the Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Beijing and Development Reimagined have successfully signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The signing ceremony took place on the
Date Published: March 24, 2023. Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen, Director General Wu Peng, Your Excellency Sylla Deputy Director Zhang Jianhua Resident Coordinator Chatterjee I want to express my sincere appreciation, on behalf of Development Reimagined, to the Ministry
Date Published: March 21, 2023. The 8th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was recently held in Dakar, Senegal, bringing together high-level officials from China and African countries to discuss cooperation in various areas, including trade facilitation. A new report by
Date Published: February 8, 2023. Speech by Development Reimagined CEO, Hannah Ryder, at The Forum on China-Africa Private Sector Cooperation. Recommendations by the Development Reimagined team for future cooperation regarding Africa-China private sector cooperation are provided below. Full Speech Below
Date Published: January 11, 2023. 1. The removal of the Covid-19 policy and measures to boost consumption means more market opportunities for African business The Chinese government officially announced that it would downgrade its controversial “Zero-Covid Policy” on December
Date Published: November 22, 2022. In October, the world’s attention was firmly placed on China, as the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) commenced. Not only is the CPC among the most important events in
Who We Are? What is JD? Date Published: November 9, 2022. Founded in 2004, JD is now one China’s biggest and most trusted e-commerce platforms. It was originally founded as a website but is now accessed through its mobile
Date Published: September 28, 2022. It’s an often-cited fact that the African continent is particularly vulnerable to the direct and indirect effects of climate change – a vulnerability that has been exacerbated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – while
Date Published: September 22, 2022. On the 30th of August 2022, Development Reimagined in partnership with the African Union Permanent Mission to China organized a hybrid closed-door roundtable discussion “Sub-Regional Discussion for the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and
Who We Are? China is the world’s second-largest market. Therefore, any country looking to increase its export footprint is an important market to enter and gain significant market share. In the last decade, China has seen a rapid increase in
Who We Are? Last week, authorities in Shanghai finally lifted a two-month-long COVID-19 lockdown that could reportedly reduce China’s overall GDP by 4% this year. Across China as a whole, Covid-19 cases have also reduced to around 70 per day
The simple answer as to why China’s e-commerce market is such a big deal is that China has the world largest and most diverse e-commerce market. In 2021, China’s e-commerce market took up more than half of the global online
Who We Are? China’s e-commerce market is the largest in the world. The key to succeeding in the Chinese market is understanding how your brand can make the most of China’s thriving e-commerce sector. JD-Worldwide is China’s biggest online sales platform
Who We Are? Shanghai is known for its fast-paced city life, with the bright lights from the Lujiazui skyline sparkling across the Bund, attracting tourists from within China and the rest of the world. It’s a bustling trade and commercial
Date published: May 4, 2022. On the 13th and 14th of April 2022, the African Union Permanent Mission to China and Development Reimagined organized a Special Dialogue on “Coordinating on Regional Infrastructure Projects under the African Union’s Program for Infrastructure
Who We Are? On November 29th, the Africa Reimagined team (some in Dakar and some in China) were eagerly awaiting President Xi Jinping’s speech at the opening ceremony of the eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC8)
Speech by Development Reimagined CEO, Hannah Ryder, at the 2nd China and International Development Forum, hosted by CAITEC. Full Speech Below Distinguished guests, Your excellencies, Vice President Yu Zirong, Chairperson Mao Xiaojing, Director General Wu Peng, Your Excellency Osman, Deputy
This week, the 8th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was held in Dakar, Senegal from November 29th through to the 30th. The event saw several key new initiatives announced – including 1 billion vaccines to be made available by China
Mapping the Future of China–Africa Relations: How the Continent can Benefit China is Africa’s largest trading partner, and deeper China–Africa engagement has the potential to transform the continent’s trade. The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is
FOCAC 2021- Bridging Partnerships for Deeper Cooperation Since the first Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000, the China-Africa relationship has grown significantly, both in size and scope. FOCAC has been instrumental in coordinating and progressing the relationship, with
With the 8th Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Ministerial Conference due to be held at the end of November 2021, Development Reimagined has been reflecting on past Africa-China cooperation under the FOCAC umbrella, as well as an exploring on
How can both African and Chinese policy makers ensure that the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) contributes to supporting African countries to achieve their development goals sustainably? A new report by Development Reimagined (DR), as the first ever African-
Now, more than ever, businesses no matter how large or small, and regardless of their industry, can contribute to sustainable development and the achievement of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Global challenges – ranging from climate, water and
For the first time in a global context dramatically changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Ministerial Conference will be held in Senegal at the end of the year. The pandemic has had a
2021 African Ambassadors Dinner Gala & Celebration On 28 October 2021, Development Reimagined organized the “2021 African Ambassadors Gala Dinner” in Beijing, in celebration of the “2021 African Ambassadors Virtual Retreat” hosted in September 2021. The dinner provided a unique and
Who We Are? We are delighted to announce that Development Reimagined was recently awarded the Rural Revitalization award at the China Social Impact Awards for our contributions to Poverty Alleviation! Our flagship project, Africa Reimagined, was especially commended for supporting
Speech by Development Reimagined CEO, Hannah Ryder, at the Nanjing Peace Forum. Full Speech Below Distinguished guests, Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, good morning good afternoon dajia shang wu hao, xia wu hao, and a huge thank you to the
Bridging China-Africa health collaboration With COVID-19 threatening public health in countries and regions worldwide, international health cooperation is increasingly needed to recover from the pandemic, strengthen health systems and accelerate development. To enhance communication and cooperation on health between key
Over the past few decades, it has become abundantly clear that ‘aid’ is not the only answer to Africa’s development. Solving economic and social challenges requires more than just financial aid, with an urgent need for structural change – in trade,
Who We Are? Over the past few decades, it has become abundantly clear that ‘aid’ is not the only answer to Africa’s development. Solving economic and social challenges requires more than just financial aid, with an urgent need for structural change – in trade,
Speech by Development Reimagined CEO, Hannah Ryder, at The Forum on China-Africa Private Sector Cooperation. Recommendations by the Development Reimagined team for future cooperation regarding Africa-China private sector cooperation are provided below. Full Speech Below Distinguished guests, Ministers, Governors, Ambassadors,
FOCAC Preparation Retreat On September 9 & 10 2021, Development Reimagined hosted the second virtual African Ambassadors in China retreat to engage and share ideas regarding the forthcoming Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting. The retreat covered three major
The China-Africa Internet Development And Cooperation Forum Speech by a senior African diplomat in China at the China-Africa Internet Development And Cooperation Forum in Beijing (August 2021). Recommendations by the Development Reimagined team for the FOCAC 2021 action plan are
In July 2021, we hosted the first event of our Ambassadors Roundtable series with Ambassadors and their representatives of West Africa based in China. Co-ordinating across diplomatic missions in China, the focus of discussion was the challenges surrounding West African
China-Kenya relations are at a critical stage as the two countries face enormous challenges related to debt sustainability, a severe trade imbalance, and the public health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, Kenya remains a strategically vital country
Back in September 2020, President Xi Jinping announced China would aim for carbon neutrality by 2060, followed by setting more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2030. Such bold commitments appeared to reflect Beijing progressing towards adopting climate-friendly policies, premised on low-carbon and
In January 2021, China finally published its White Paper on International Development Cooperation. I say finally because – having seen white papers on aid published in 2011 and 2014, some people at least had the expectation that the next in
It’s time to ask and it’s time to get – is the key message of a new Development Reimagined report, written with African leaders and policy makers in mind and also of huge interest to African NGOs and governments worldwide.
Updated Every Month Nearly 1.33 billion vaccine doses have been ordered by African countries and the African Union – that’s enough to fully vaccinate half of the population, getting close to herd immunity levels, but as of early June, African
After walking out of the COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Nairobi, with my arm slightly sore after receiving my first free dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, I felt hopeful that this reflected a new stage in Kenya’s COVID-19 response. However, a
Introduction:- Innovation is known to be important for productivity and economic growth, while intellectual property rights are, in conventional economics models, thought to spur innovation. Yet China, which averaged over 6 percent annual economic growth for three decades and is
As the co-chair for the upcoming 2021 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Senegal is in a unique position to negotiate a better relationship with China as well as support other African countries to do so as well. At Development Reimagined,
Notorious for its hyperinflation, and its status as the 10th most fragile country on the Fragile States Index, Zimbabwe is perhaps one of the last countries you would have expected to be proactive in vaccination rollout. Yet, not only was Zimbabwe one
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp relief the highly unsustainable fact that African countries together import over 70% of all pharmaceutical and medical products. Yet, 34 out of 55 African countries have some level of pharmaceutical production, with countries offering an
Two types of images have dominated the global media’s coverage of Africa the past year. The first has been pictures of cargo planes packed with medical supplies, framing Africa’s COVID response as handled through foreign aid by partners such as
It is widely accepted that vaccination is one of the most important achievements in public health. Yet, in the face of this ‘consensus’, vaccines are constantly challenged by individuals and groups on religious, and even political grounds. The determinants around
On February 14th, 2020, Africa’s first COVID-19 case was reported in Egypt. Since then, there has been widespread speculation about why Africa has not experienced a mass COVID-19 outbreak. At Development Reimagined, our analysis reveals there is no single ‘Africa
News from Ethiopia in early 2021 from many international media outlets has focused on whether the government will or will not ask for debt suspension or cancellation under a new framework that has been agreed by the Group of 20
“Is a new debt crisis mounting in Africa?” “Africa’s debt crisis hampers its fight against covid-19” and “African nations sitting on debt volcano” These are all headlines from as far back as August 2019 , from various international and African
China’s medical supplies for 18 African countries arrive at the Kotota International Airport in Accra, capital of Ghana, April 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng) Trilateral cooperation, a buzzword in the field of aid and development cooperation, refers to a “development relationship
Updated Every Two Weeks This week, we saw a major dispute unfold between Zambia and private sector lenders, who rejected the government’s request for a 6 month payment holiday, due to Zambia’s needs to spend on COVID19 management. The private
For a moment it would seem that climate change has taken a backseat in the midst of a global pandemic, yet we are increasingly seeing the need to make linkages between COVID-19 response and climate action policies. What has been
Zhunjing de ge wei laibin, nushimen, xiangshimen, pengyoumen, da jia hão! Vice President Lu Cairong Chairperson Frolick Ambassador Zhao YanBo Distinguished Excellencies, guests ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, it is a pleasure to be here and I would like to
(Photo credit: Willem Van Cotthem 2016- Smallholder Sesame farmer in Tanzania) With the COVID-19 crisis disrupting regional and global trade, the Development Reimagined team spoke with H.E Mbelwa Kairuki, Tanzania’s ambassador to China, to get his take on Sino-Tanzania trade
Famed for its natural beauty, surrounded by nothing but the Indian Ocean, tiny in size yet densely populated, understanding how Mauritius managed to become the most developed, diversified, and competitive economy in Africa is worth exploring. Overall, Mauritius’s economic growth
Whether it is ordering a vegetarian wrap or having a healthy fruit and veggie smoothie, the most sought after ingredient I crave for is avocado! Today, be it Beijing or Shanghai, restaurant chains and smoothie bars, are now catering to
Blue skies and cows grazing on pristine green pastures. Smiling celebrities. Cultural heritage sites and healthy lifestyle motifs. Milk products with these images fly off the shelves in China. It’ s ultra-high temperature (UHT) long-life milk, stocking refrigerators and stacked
China has a long history of involvement in agriculture in Africa. As far back as 1959, China offered food grants to Guinea, and especially since the 2007 introduction of China’s “Agriculture Going Out” initiatives – a set of policies that
As COVID-19 has ravaged the globe, governments have had to face the grim reality of overwhelmed medical systems. The impact has been morbid, with over 7 million confirmed cases and over 400,000 deaths worldwide. In the absence of therapeutics or
Six months after the emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, the global effort to develop appropriate vaccines and treatments is continuing at a pace. The WHO report that there are now 125 candidate vaccines in development, including 10 in clinical
Updated Weekly As world leaders meet virtually for the World Health Assembly this week, is it premature to be talking about winning the COVID19 fight? Over the past few months, as we have provided our weekly updates on what African
Updated Weekly It’s been close to three months since the first COVID19 case was detected on the African continent. Over those three months we have seen some fairly unprecedented changes in global markets – for instance negative oil prices –
Updated Weekly As part of our now regular series of infographics on how COVID19 is affecting the African continent, and how governments in the 55 countries are responding, this week we provide an update on what preventive measures African countries
Updated Weekly COVID19 first entered the African continent on 14th February 2020, and since then many African governments have been responding with both speed and determination. Last week, we explored what governments are doing to “flatten the COVID19 curve”. This
Updated Weekly For the last two weeks we have been publishing infographics on how COVID19 is affecting the African continent, and how governments in the 55 countries are responding. Last week, we explored what measures are being introduced to support
Updated Weekly Last week, out of a frustration with the lack of coverage and understanding by our clients as well as the public on how COVID19 is affecting the African continent, we published an infographic that showed how the 55
Updated Weekly Over the last few weeks, we have seen many think-tanks, consultancies and experts sharing information around COVID19 cases in Asia, Europe and the United States. But what about the African continent? How are the 55 countries in Africa
Chinese military medical personnel attending a patient at a hospital in Freetown during the height of the Ebola crisis in Liberia in December 2014. Photo via Xinhua. Over the last few weeks, we have seen various Chinese actors launch significant
File photo, Kenyan nurse Lucy Kanyi demonstrates to media the facilities and protective equipment to be used to isolate and treat coronavirus cases, at the infectious disease unit of Kenyatta National Hospital in the capital Nairobi, Kenya. Credit: AP Photo/Patrick Ngugi,
A security personnel wearing protective clothing to help stop the spread of a deadly SARS-like virus which originated in the central city of Wuhan is seen at the entrance of subway station in Beijing on January 28, 2020. Photo Credit:
The decision whether to evacuate their citizens from China is just the first hurdle for African countries amid the outbreak To evacuate or not to evacuate. That is the question. African governments are currently struggling to decide whether to evacuate
President Jin Liqun, President Ahmed, Distinguished leaders, guests, ladies and gentlemen, It is an absolute honor to welcome you all to this conference. Thank you in particular to those who have travelled literally across the globe to be here. I
The Development Reimagined Infographic series explores which countries are and aren’t signed up to China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative Announced in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has promised new business and development
Hannah Ryder, CEO Development Reimagined explores how one village in China, that initially grew just one crop, has cut poverty in just a decade… but will it last? Can the same be done elsewhere? Watch her vlog to find out!
Good afternoon everyone. The title of the keynote I’ve been asked to give to you today is “caught in between the West vs China – can Africa rise to the play?” The way I interpret this is how African countries
Development Reimagined’s infographic series With the second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) kicking off, all eyes are on China to understand more about the far- reaching Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the potential impacts and opportunities for developing countries.
This year I got a great, albeit unusual Christmas present. On Christmas Day, my company, Development Reimagined – the first Kenyan Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise in Beijing – was accepted as a member of the China Africa Business Council (CABC)
African countries are seeking to industrialize. From Addis Ababa to Dakar, Cape Town to Cairo, the impetus to manufacture is now a priority for much of the continent. As the President of the African Development Bank Akinwumi Adesina put it:
Having kept the meeting date hush-hush until just two weeks ago, governments across the African continent are preparing their final briefings and security plans for the seventh Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Ministerial, and Third FOCAC Summit. To be
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning! It is my honor to be here today, I am the CEO of an international development consultancy called Rui Na Xin (Development Reimagined), and the former deputy country director for UNDP here in
Good afternoon distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen! Thank you so much to Kente and Silk for organising this event, China-Africa Stories, and for the kind invitation to speak today. I must apologise that I was not able to join and
Thank you so much for the honour and invitation to give the dinner speech today. This is my third year of joining the Yenching symposium in as many years of being in China, and as always it is wonderful to
Introduction: Development Reimagined supports Beijing’s first Africa Week. Development Reimagined is one of the sponsors of the week, amongst others such as OFO, Hotel Jen and many more. In particular, we have supported the sifting of applicants for a start-up
Whether you see it as taking place at the beginning of the calendar year or at the end of the Chinese year, the now annual visit by the Chinese Foreign Minister to the African continent is a remarkable tradition. Alongside
Ask anyone with a basic knowledge of Africa which country is more poised for success – Zimbabwe or Kenya – and he or she will undoubtedly answer “Kenya.” Events of the last week would seem to confirm that verdict. On
Here in China it’s been impossible to miss the fact that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is celebrating its 90th anniversary this week. There’s been a grand parade, numerous articles about its history and new endeavors – for example
A few months ago, a New York Times magazine cover was emblazoned with the question “Is China the World’s New Colonial Power?” The notion that China is a twenty-first-century colonizer is not new: commentators have been batting it around for
Creating jobs and entrepreneurs is key for sustainable development; At least three ways China can use the Belt and Road Initiaitve to create jobs and entrepreneurs across the world; China’s local governments should use “going out” strategically to innovate and
As a small child growing up in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, our annual family holiday to the beautiful beaches of Mombasa always began and ended with a degree of trepidation. My sister and I would jump into the car and
In Beijing, today is the annual deadline every dog owner dreads – registration time. As this handy guide sets out, if owners don’t register their dogs by the end of May, the dogs risk being taken away as strays. Not
Living in China, it’s been impossible to miss the country’s first ever Belt and Road Forum (BRF). The forum concluded on Monday, with outputs including a detailed declaration and numerous — over 270 — bilateral deals in areas such as
尊敬的各位来宾，女士们, 先生们, 大家下午好！Wanawake na mabwana, Habari zenu! Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. It is a real pleasure to be here today to open this first ever award ceremony aiming to both recognise and incentivise the best Chinese reporting on my
“Pursuing protectionism is like locking oneself in a dark room” was one of the many memorable quotations from President Xi Jinping’s historic speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, just under a month ago. It was the first time
There is no doubt that relations between China and African countries are becoming ever more intertwined and important. In what has now become an annual tradition to visit Africa as a priority continent at the beginning of the year, Foreign
There’s a song by one of my favourite RnB artists Usher, called “You remind me“. In it, Usher tells a new girlfriend that she’s like a previous girlfriend that he fell in love with, who treated him badly. His question is
Most women, if and when they can, love visiting the hairdresser, especially if the results are good. It’s usually a time to get pampered, and also get an update on the latest styles and gossip. During my last visit, I
I’ve recently celebrated my first anniversary of working in China, and I can wholeheartedly say it has been fantastic so far. In particular I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by supportive and enthusiastic colleagues. To be very honest,
June is always a busy month for my family, as three of us have a birthday in the space of two weeks. Father’s day also takes place in June, and it’s also my husband and my wedding anniversary. There is
Before I arrived in Beijing, many friends warned me about one major issue: air pollution. They – and articles such as this in the UK’s Guardian newspaper – warned me so much that I had this idea that once I
Just a few weeks ago, my sister got married. The wedding was beautiful, her husband is an absolutely wonderful man from Uganda, and my two other sisters and I were bridesmaids. But there was one problem. I found myself comparing
Throughout my career, I’ve worked in large organisations. And every single large organisation – from highly profitable businesses to multilateral institutions – goes through swings and cycles of “change processes”. The organisation I work in now, UNDP, has just gone
Africa isn’t a country. It’s an obvious statement but a while back, even American Vice President Joe Bidden forgot it when he said: “There’s no reason the nation of Africa cannot and should not join the ranks of the world’s
A few days ago I arrived in Beijing to begin a new job as deputy country director for UNDP China. In this job, I’ll be heading a team that advises the Chinese government and other Chinese counterparts such as businesses
A couple of weekends ago, the Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang made his first ever trip to Africa, visiting Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Kenya. This was a significant date. 50 years ago, the then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai made the
My primary school had some quite strong incentives to drive up performance. Every end of term, our teachers would test us and rank my classmates and I against each other. It was the extremes that mattered – top and bottom.
