African and developed countries are to devise a joint plan by next year to transform broad commitment to the continent’s development into concrete action, the executive of Africa’s growth plan said on Tuesday.
While all agreed that current levels of development aid were insufficient to address African under-development, no clear commitments were on the table, the chairperson of the secretariat of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), Wiseman Nkuhlu, said in Pretoria.
Such details would now be discussed by representatives of the Nepad steering commitment and the Group of Eight industrialised nations (G8). A plan to be devised from the talks is to be submitted to decision-makers early next year, Nkuhlu told reporters in Pretoria.
It was expected to outline how much money was required to achieve stated goals of addressing unemployment, poverty, hunger and disease.
Nkuhlu was briefing reporters in Pretoria on the outcome of talks between six African leaders and the G8 at a summit in the United States last week.
He expressed optimism about progress made in the discussions — attended by President Thabo Mbeki and the leaders of Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Algeria and Uganda.
Reducing African indebtedness and unequal world trade were among the concerns raised by the leaders, Nkuhlu said.
Another worry highlighted was the lack of assistance for developing countries to manufacture their own products from raw materials rather than exporting capital and jobs to the developed world.
African leaders also asked for more representation on multi-lateral bodies like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Nkuhlu said the G8 undertook to help resolve a logjam in free-trade talks between Africa and the World Trade Organisation.
It also committed itself to providing financial and technical support to Africa’s peace and security plan, which comprises an overseeing council, a standby peacekeeping force and a conflict early warning system.
A decision was taken, Nkuhlu said, for representatives of the G8, Nepad and the African Union to work out a detailed and costed implementation plan. ”This is the sort of outcome we were looking for — a concrete plan.”
The G8 committed itself to training the 70 000 people that would make up the force, and to assist with equipment.
It agreed that the plan would remain an African one, despite assistance from the developed world.
Nkuhlu said the G8 leaders were encouraged by the actions Africa had been taking on peace and security. They were convinced Africa was serious about dealing with conflicts.
Nkuhlu expressed concern about a lack of political will to direct resources to Africa. The political will had also been lacking in African leaders themselves, he added.
The continent had no right to demand money from the rest of the world, but could insist on an equal playing field.
That is why Africa had to show through forums like the G8 that it was serious about addressing its own problems — eradicating conflicts and creating conditions of stability, Nkuhlu said. – Sapa