President Kufuor (second from right) flanked by other dignitaries on the podium

At a high-level meeting of the United Nations on development needs of Africa opened in New York yesterday, President J.A.Kufuor called on advanced countries to co-operate with Africa to find lasting solutions to the devastating phenomenon of climate change, soaring prices of crude oil and the high cost of food.
 

Chairing a roundtable conference of the High Level Meeting, President Kufuor further asked the international community to address the thorny issue of conflict in Africa as well as support for the reconstruction of the continent.
 

The President was requested by the UN body to take the place of President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, who was originally scheduled to chair the conference but could not attend the meeting following his decision to resign as president of South Africa.
 

The meeting is part of the preparatory work of the UN towards another High-Level Meeting on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in New York last Thursday.
 

It is also the first thorough assessment by the UN member states of actions taken by Africa and the international community since African leaders adopted the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) as the continent’s main blueprint in 2001.
 

The meeting is being held against concerns expressed by the international community that Africa is lagging behind other regions in the achievement of the MDGs.
 

In 2005, the group of eight industrialised countries (G-8) agreed to double their aid to Africa by 2010 but unfortunately by 2006, overall aid development assistance to Africa (excluding debt relief) has risen by only eight percent and since then aid to the continent had been dwindling.

In his opening remarks, President Kufuor said the critical issues that the high-level meeting should address included aid for trade and technical assistance, implementation of internationally agreed development commitments, the delivery of social services, particularly education and health, and infrastructural development.
 

He was of the view that finding solutions to those development challenges of Africa at the meeting in the spirit of co-operation is necessary for the participants to adopt an action-based political declaration at the end o f the meeting.
 

The President, however, indicated that the commitment to the rule of law, good governance and respect for human rights in aid recipient countries should underpin all the efforts towards addressing the development challenges of Africa.
 
SOURCE: Daily Graphic

POSTED: 23/09/08
 
 
 

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