The African continent maintained relatively strong economic growth in 2013 despite the inevitable effects of the doldrums in Europe and the United States. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted the region would grow by an average of 6 percent in 2014. Major contributors to Africa's economic growth are a relatively stable political situation, growing international trade, especially trade with emerging markets, and a trend toward economic diversification. "China has become, for example, the most important trading partner for Sub-Sahara Africa and it has helped through the last few years by providing a robust market for African exports," said Antoinette Sayeh, Director of the IMF's Africa Department.

Berlin-based international non-government organization, Transparency International (TI) has ranked Botswana the least corrupt country in Africa for the 18th year in a row. TI places Botswana 30th out of 177 countries and regions and the first in all African countries in its latest corruption perception index survey released recently. The country was also ranked 30th in 2012 and 32nd in 2011. According to the report, Botswana had an overall score of 64 compared to 65 in 2012 and was the only country to score above 60 in Africa.

World athletics governing body IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) and Kenyan Government are to build a blood center to hold and test blood and urine samples from regional athletes starting January 2014. Athletics Kenya (AK) President Isaiah Kiplagat confirmed that the plans are at an advanced stage to start building a laboratory to be used as the blood center, in their fight against doping. "The blood center will serve Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the Central Africa region," said Kiplagat. "This will reduce the cost and time it takes to get results whenever we take our samples to Germany or South Africa."

Mali

Peacekeepers Busy

The annual Central Economic Work Conference was held on December 10, 2013 amid calls for stronger and more concrete reform efforts. The meeting reviewed China's economic progress in 2013 and suggested plans for 2014, an important year for carrying out the reform blueprint adopted in November. Li Yang, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China cannot wait any longer to transform its pattern of growth, and economic policies should focus on quality growth and efficiency instead of bailouts and high-speed growth in the short term. Economists said that China's economy has entered a new era of structural slowdown, and the rate of economic growth is likely to decrease to less than 6 percent by the end of 2030." The structural slowdown is not a concern by itself, but it requires an adjustment of the macroeconomic policy framework," Li said.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi said in December 2013 that BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) nations should strengthen cooperation and coordination to play their roles in safeguarding international and regional peace and stability. Yang made the remarks when attending a meeting of BRICS senior representatives on national security held in South Africa's Cape Town, saying that the world is undergoing profound and complicated changes and facing new security challenges. He also said cyber and information security is vital to national security and social stability, and thus BRICS members should jointly promote information security, and solve cyber disputes through negotiation.

A national emergency broadcast center opened in China in December 2013, as the country looks to speed up the construction of a nationwide radio network for transmitting rescue and relief information in disaster-hit regions. Under China National Radio, the China National Emergency Broadcasting Center is responsible for setting up an emergency broadcast system and building a radio network that links central authorities to communitylevel offices. The plan was inspired by a similar but smaller-scale radio network set up after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Lushan in southwest China's Sichuan Province on April 20, 2013. The radio service will broadcast government relief measures and secondary warnings to disaster-stricken areas via loudspeakers, AM radio frequencies and satellite facilities.