The question now is: what happens after, as is almost certain, France begins to wind down its forces, leaving the African troops in Mali?

CNN: Opinion: Why Africa backs French in Mali

Ethiopia, where Mr O'Neill will wind up his visit by attending the annual meeting of the African Development Bank, is scarred by a recent war with Eritrea.

ECONOMIST: The education of Paul O'Neill | The

The government has always been keen to keep Rwanda clean and correspondents say the capital, Kigali, is much cleaner than other African cities, where thin blue plastic bags can been seen in fields and on trees fluttering in the wind.

BBC: Rwanda gets tough on plastic bags

While flush with confidence of their own, North African states are finding it difficult to attract the kind of infrastructure financing necessary to kick-start solar and wind projects in a significant way.

FORBES: Europe Works To Preserve Mediterranean Green Promise