THURSDAY, 4.00PM
THE United Nations will host a pan-African forum in Addis Ababa from Friday, at which senior officials from 15 African states will meet their counterparts from 18 donor countries to discuss development issues.
UN secretary-general Kofi Annan will deliver the keynote address to the forum, held under the umbrella of the Organisation of African Unity, African Development Bank, and Global Coalition for Africa.
The forum will focus on development issues such as education, health, water, information technology, and promoting food security and sustainable livelihood.
African countries will report their positions on such issues as constitutional and judicial reform, electoral and parliamentary assistance, civic education, communications and media.