Kufuor leaves for U.S and Germany

Accra, April 21 (GNA) - Former President John Agyekum Kufuor left Accra Monday night for the United States and Germany where he will attend separate high-level meetings on reform of the World Bank and improvement in land administration in Africa.

A statement signed by Mr Frank Agyekum, Spokesperson of the former President, said Mr Kufuor's first stop will be in Washington DC where he will attend the first meeting of a 12-member high-level Commission set up this year for the modernization of the World Bank.

The Commission, headed by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, is charged with making recommendations to the Bank's President Robert Zoellick on how the institution is governed so that it can better fulfill its mission of overcoming global poverty.

Other members are Mrs. Sadata Ogata, President of Japanese International Cooperation and former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Dr Zhou Xiaochuan, Governor of the People's Bank of China and Mr Pascal Lamay, Director-General of the World Trade Organization. Former President Kufuor will continue to Berlin, Germany on April 26 for the 2009 African Presidential Roundtable which will focus on 'Leadership Challenges of Land Reform in Africa.'

The forum is being organized by the African Presidential Archives and Research Centre at Boston University, USA. It is an initiative for former democratically elected leaders of Africa to share their ideas and experiences with a global audience.

Former President Kufuor will be hosted to a luncheon by German President Horst Kohler during the visit. He will be away for about 10 days.