Rwanda’s monetary authorities stood out from their east African peers in 2011 for managing to withstand the severe inflationary pressures buffeting the region. Claver Gatete, governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, explains how this was done and what the country's government is doing to lure more foreign direct investment.

Morocco wants to establish Casablanca as a financial hub not only for investment into the rest of north Africa, but countries south of the Sahara too. So far, it has made good progress and is pulling ahead of its regional rivals. 

The regulations implementing the Dodd-Frank Act, which was signed into US law in 2010 in response to the G-20's global financial regulatory reform agenda, are being written, and banks do not like what they see.

As China has moved to speed up the internationalisation of its domestic currency since the financial crisis, the UK has made no secret of its willingness to play a role in this process. But much work still needs to be done with regards to trade settlements between the two countries, as well as improving transport links and communications.

As Europe's banks come to terms with the economic impact of Basel III's rules on capital requirements, their demand for trade finance deals in Latin America through the International Finance Corporation has waned. But this leaves the door open to North American and Asian banks looking to increase their presence in the region.