I received the news of the passing on of a great thought leader Walter Scheel,  while moderating at the IREN East Africa Thought Leaders Forum. Walter Scheel, the liberal former president and former leader of German liberals will remain with us through his great insights on how the world works. His ideas on the downside of cheque-book diplomacy as a tool in international development cooperation brought our paths together. In Africa, the best legacy to remember him should be to invest in tools to navigate and manage the multiple actors currently seeking to influence and improve living standards on the continent.

James Shikwati,

Director, Inter Region Economic Network.