Africa's vast market and young population present a huge opportunity for investors, but its poor ICT infrastructure is one factor holding the continent back. A flurry of new projects are helping to resolve this issue – by improving Africa's connectivity and helping to train its youth – but is progress being made quickly enough?

Egypt is not a market for the faint-hearted, but to Coca-Cola it was worth investing $500m to tap into a market of 90 million consumers. And with north African governments becoming more business friendly, the US drinks giant's president of the Middle East and north Africa, Curtis Ferguson, is seeing steady growth for his brand in the region.

Having set its sights on economic diversification, Dubai has rapidly established itself as a Middle Eastern hub for R&D, with a particular focus on life sciences.

Small steps are being taken to repair the damage that decades of civil war have wreaked on the Democratic Republic of Congo. Political complications and security issues still blight the country, but cities such as Goma are showing the way forwards when it comes to attracting the attention of investors.

A 1999 'reach initiative' transformed Jordan's ICT sector, which now accounts for more than 10% of the country's GDP. Following the launch of a sequel initiative, the country is hoping it can further build on this success.

Ras Al Khaimah has natural attractions in abundance but has largely struggled to persuade tourists in the UAE to look beyond Dubai. However, as its visitor numbers increase and a new airport is being developed, the emirate could well be challenging its better-known regional rivals in the not-too-distant future