African Agricultural Exports Focus of Capacity-Building Program

The Sixth Annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum was capped July 19 with the announcement by top U.S. government officials of initiatives to strengthen the export-boosting trade measure first passed by Congress in 2000. United States Department of State / http://allafrica.com

Kufuor Urges Investors to Look Beyond Oil

Ghana's head of state has urged private sector operators from the United States to increase their investments in Africa beyond the extractive industries of oil and precious minerals. BuaNews / http://allafrica.com

US building partnership with Africa, Rice says

The United States is building a partnership with Africa to pull the continent out of poverty, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday as she lent her support to moves to boost U.S.-African trade. africa.reuters.com

In Doha Negotiations, Stay Focused on Prize - World Bank President

World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick issued the following statement today on the current WTO consultations. World Bank / http://allafrica.com

EU's Mandelson says WTO draft cuts too deep

New draft texts on agriculture and industry are a step forward in world trade talks but the range of tariff and subsidy cuts they propose are too tough, European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said. africa.reuters.com

Country's Growth Hampered by Huge Brain Drain

Brain drain is one of the major impediments to Africa's sustained economic growth and achievement of the millennium development goals, a United Nations report says. The Nation / http://allafrica.com

World's poorest lagging in technology despite FDI boom - UN

The world's poorest countries are falling further behind developing and developed peers in terms of technology, a problem that foreign investment flows are failing to redress, a United Nations report said on Thursday. africa.reuters.com

Efforts to curb climate change may hurt African farms

A bid to slow global warming by reducing the tonnes of food air freighted around the world ran up on Tuesday against the worries of poor African growers who fear it will hurt their business. africa.reuters.com

Annan Says GMOs Are Not the Solution

Genetically modified foods were not the only solution to Africa's food crisis, former UN secretary general Kofi Annan said yesterday. The Naiton / http://allafrica.com

Former Leaders Create Freelance Global Diplomatic Team

A new private alliance headed by former South African president Nelson R. Mandela will launch diplomatic assaults on the globe’s most intractable problems. nytimes.com

Liberia: Country Joins Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)

Liberia has become the 14th African country to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global coalition of governments, companies, civil society groups and investors devoted to ensuring that proceeds from extractive industries such as petrol, diamond and gold, among many others, are used to develop countries in which the minerals are found and improve the living conditions of the people. African Development Bank / http://allafrica.com

Ghana: AGI's Business Code is a Good Move

The need to operate in the larger interest of society and become competitive underscored the reason the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) launched its Business Code last week. Public Agenda / http://allafrica.com

East Africa: Non Tariff Barriers Hinder E.A. Trade

Non- tariff barriers have continued to be the biggest impediments to cross-border trade in the run up to East African Community's integration process, a business report has said. The Monitor / http://allafrica.com

Uganda: Free Trade Threatens Flower Industry

Uganda's flower industry needs government incentives and preferential European Union (EU) access to succeed, say members of the east African nation's floricultural sector.  Inter Press Service / http://allafrica.com

World Bank OKs funds for Malawi-Mozambique power

The World Bank on Tuesday approved a $93 million credit for the construction of a power link between Malawi and Mozambique, giving the southern African neighbors access to reliable and affordable energy. africa.reuters.com

WBCSD Publishes an Issue Brief on "Promoting Small and Medium Enterprises for Sustainable Development"

Published by the WBCSD in collaboration with SNV Netherlands Development Organization, the Issue Brief explains how governments can help alleviate poverty by focusing on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and how larger corporations can help themselves by including SMEs in their value chains. wbcsd.org

Groundbreaking Guide for Businesses Rates NGOs and UN Agencies on Partnership Competence

Partnerships on environmental issues account for a third of all business corporate social responsibility partnerships on a global level and education projects are the preferred corporate social responsibility partnerships at a local level. These are some of the key findings of "The Business Guide to partnering with NGOs and the United Nations", the first ever global effort to scan and rate NGOs, UN agencies and other social actors from a business partnership perspective. CSRwire.com / http://business-humanrights.org

S.Africa's SABC starts Africa channel amid bias furore

South Africa's public broadcaster is launching an international news channel to compete with CNN and the BBC, joining the growing ranks of news outlets seeking to challenge media stereotypes about Africa. africa.reuters.com

Microsoft Accelerates Free Access to Journals

Information technology company Microsoft will give technical assistance to enhance access to online research for scientists, policymakers and librarians in the developing world. SciDev.net

Nigeria delays $7bn Pfizer case

The Nigerian government delays its lawsuit against drugs giant Pfizer over allegations of illegal drug test. bbc.co.uk