MARCH ON: The seventh white paper on defense out (XINHUA)

Courts for Piracy

Somalia

The UN Security Council has backed the idea of setting up special courts to try captured Somali pirates, but has still not given any specifics as to where they will be located. A council resolution has requested UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to report back within two months on how to prosecute suspects. The prosecution process has been widely seen as one of the more problematic areas in the international effort to combat the rise of piracy in Somalia.

WB Lends Help

Tunisia

Tunisia's woes are set to ease as the World Bank's President Robert Zoellick has announced that the bank is now working with the nation on $500 million in budget support, which could leverage an additional $700 million from other donors. The World Bank said budget funding would aid reforms.

Jump in Economy

Comoros

The tiny island nation of Comoros is experiencing a rapid rise in economic growth, rising to at least 2.5 percent in 2011, up from 2.1 percent forecast of 2010, and jump to 4 percent by 2013, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF has stated that the island nation's rise in economy has been aided by remittances and expansion in tourism and transport.

Techno Towns

Morocco

Morocco is now setting the pace for technological research in Africa by building four "innovation cities" that will act as science and technology research hubs. A further three new projects are also in fruition, raising hopes of encouraging partnerships between businesses and inventors. The country will also set up the new Moroccan Center of Innovation in addition to three new funds totaling to $65 million.