1. General

Durban climate negotiations meet won't be easy for India
India could find itself in a tough spot at the UN-sponsored climate negotiations in Durban, especially on the question of the legal nature of the global effort to deal with the climate change. At the pre-conference meeting this week, host South Africa made it clear that the Durban meet would find a "resolution" to the contentious issue of continuing with the Kyoto protocol beyond December 2012 and "agreeing" on the legal nature of a future climate change system.
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South Africa ditches India, backs rich nations
India has suffered a setback at climate talks with its key ally South Africa endorsing the view of rich nations that the global climate agreement should be binding for all nations at a meeting last weekend. India had recently taken a decision not to support any binding emission cuts for developing countries and wanted resolution of intellectual property rights and equity issues, earning criticism from European Union and other rich nations.
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China's proposal unveiled ahead of Durban climate talks
China will urge implementation of the Bali Action Plan and inclusion of all developed countries into the Kyoto Protocol at the next month's climate talks in Durban, South Africa, said a senior official. Describing the proposal as constructive, Chinese Vice Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission Xie zhenhua said China's call to implement of the Bali Action Plan means the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol should be upheld, as a major disagreement in Durban may be focused on the issue.
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BASIC countries to frame common position on Kyoto protocol
The Environment Ministers of BASIC countries — Brazil, South Africa, India and China — will frame a common position ahead of the crucial Durban climate conference due next month on several issues including the second commitment period of Kyoto protocol. Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan will visit Beijing on Monday to attend the ninth meeting of BASIC countries. It is mainly for preparing the negotiations for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference. The climate conference in Durban will be held from November 28 to December 9, officials of the Environment Ministry told PTI.
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2. China in Africa

Chinese, South African parliaments set up exchange mechanism
China's top legislative body, the National People's Congress (NPC), has launched a regular exchange mechanism with the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, according to top legislator Wu Bangguo. Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, hailed the establishment of the mechanism during a meeting on Monday with Nomaindia Mfeketo, deputy speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, who is here to inaugurate the program.
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China makes single largest grain donation to Africa: official
China has delivered food donations worth 443.2 million yuan (69.58 million U.S. dollars) to the Horn of Africa which is suffering from severe drought and famine, a Chinese official said Sunday. "This is the single largest grain donation to foreign countries ever delivered by Chinese government since the founding of the People's Republic of China (in 1949)," said Lu Shaye, head of the Department of African Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
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China, Angola pledge to expand cooperation
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan held talks with Angolan Minister of State Carlos Maria Feijo Tuesday in Beijing on expanding bilateral cooperation. "Angola is an important partner for cooperation between China and Africa," Wang said. China is ready to work with Angola to score new cooperative achievements in areas such as finance, agriculture, infrastructure and human resources, in order to bring bilateral ties to a new level, he said.
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China to lend African firms another $1 bln
State-run policy lender China Development Bank will loan small and medium-sized African companies another $1 billion, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday. The new funds will increase to $2 billion a loan facility first set up in 2009 to help African firms, Liu Hao, deputy head of the bank's international department, was quoted as saying at a China-Africa forum in the eastern city of Hangzhou.
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AU keen to work with China on agriculture
In addition to making much investment in infrastructural development, China is contributing to the development of Africa's agriculture, said Rhoda Peace Tummusimi, African Union (AU) Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Economy. In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Saturday, the Commissioner said China is investing in the agriculture sector in Africa, where 80 percent of the population depends on the sector for livelihood.
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China-Africa think tank forum holds first meeting
The China-Africa Think Tank Forum held its first meeting in east China on Thursday to discuss ways to promote political trust, economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and Africa. The three-day meeting, held in Zhejiang province's capital of Hangzhou, was attended by nearly 300 officials and scholars from China and 27 African countries, representatives from the African Union Commission and other regional organizations, as well as African diplomatic envoys to China, according to Zhejiang Normal University, the event's organizer.
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Chinese, African universities to boost collaboration
The 2011 UNESCO-China-Africa University Leaders Meeting started on Monday in Paris at the headquarters of the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris, aiming to boost collaboration between Chinese and African universities. The two-day meeting drew 44 university presidents from China and Africa, and their discussion would mainly focus on how to further boost inter-school cooperation.
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Chinese firm wins contract for S. Sudan’s new capital
Pan-China Construction Group, a Chinese company, has been awarded the lucrative contract to design Ramciel, the proposed location for South Sudan’s new capital, Sudan Tribune understands. The company reportedly beat off stiff competition from several bidders, including a South Korean firm, after they presented design proposals for construction of the new capital, which will be situated about 65 miles (105km) north of Juba, the country’s current capital.
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3. In Other Emerging Powers News

Zimbabwe secures $300 mln Brazil farm loan: paper
Zimbabwe has secured a $300 million loan from Brazil to finance agriculture and boost crop production after successive years of food deficits, state media reported on Thursday. The loan is part of Brazil's aid programme for Africa, the state-controlled Herald newspaper said. Agriculture Minister Joseph Made said the funds would be used to support farmers who have largely failed to get loans from local banks that are still recovering from a prolonged economic crisis.
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4. Blogs, Opinions, Presentations and Publications

Exclusive Interview with Lu Shaye, Secretary-General of Chinese Follow-Up Committee of FOCAC and Director-General of Department of African Affairs at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The 8th Senior Officials Meeting of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on October 26 and October 27 this year. On the eve of this event, Xinhua News Agency reporter interviewed Lu Shaye, Secretary-General of Chinese Follow-Up Committee of FOCAC and Director-General of Department of African Affairs at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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China outplays Europe, US in Africa
As India and China grow their economies, it is obvious they will not achieve their goals without access to the vast and untapped natural resources of Africa and Central Asia. The aim is to attain a standard of living for their 2.5-billion citizens that is both as high and utterly unsustainable as that long enjoyed by one billion Europeans, North Americans and Japanese.
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