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Over the past few years at various African summits organized by the Japanese, Europeans or Americans, China has emerged as a kind of benchmark that other foreign powers are now measured against in Africa. Beijing's dominance in African trade, infrastructure development, and technology adoption are all seen by these traditional powers as a challenge that needs to be overcome.

But a different vibe is coming out of Sochi where final preparations are underway for the start of tomorrow's two-day Russia-Africa summit. No one's really talking about the Chinese. Instead, the focus, at least among some think tanks, commentators and certain segments of the international press appears to be more on how Putin is perceived to be taking advantage of a distracted, divided and more isolated United States in a bid to re-establish Moscow's presence and influence in Africa.

• [THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] Russia’s new focus on Africa takes advantage of US drift by Cara Anna
• [THE HILL] The Russian offensive in Africa and America's feeble response by K. Riva Levinson
• [INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES] "Russia is steadily filling a power vacuum left in Africa by the retreat of the United States" by Peter Fabricius

A new report reportedly calls for an urgent overhaul of the EU aid strategy in Africa or else risk it's "global standing." In a bit of an odd twist, the authors of the report, or the so-called group of "wise persons" (yes, that's what they're called, no joke) are proposing to copy or at least draw inspiration from China's development experience in Africa.

Here's what they're suggesting the European Union do:

1. Set up a new development bank that will fill the "gaps and inefficiencies" in the current multilateral European aid system. This is likely similar to the New Development Bank that China launched to channel development finance to countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas among other places.
2. Improve the "branding and narrative" of Europe's aid strategy in such a way that it helps to raise awareness and create a more cohesive message similar to how they perceive China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative.

Read the full story written by Bloomberg but available without a subscription on the Caixin website.