Accra, Oct. 27, GNA - Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, leaves Accra Wednesday for Abuja, Nigeria, to address a business Investment Forum of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The former President, after the confab, would travel to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, to monitor that country's election, as co-chair with former US President, Jimmy Carter.

A press release, issued on Wednesday, and signed by Mr Frank Agyekum, spokesperson at the office of the former president said, the round-table in Abuja, is part of an 11-day exhibition at Abuja's Eagle Square, by NEPAD, to showcase African indigenous products and services.

Former President Kufuor will speak on: "TRADE AS A TOOL FOR REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN AFRICA" at the forum, to be attended by top government officials and business executives from across Africa. In Abidjan, former Presidents Kufuor and Carter will monitor events before, during and after the elections.

President Carter's Foundation, the Jimmy Carter Foundation, which extended the invitation to former President Kufuor, said it was on account of his: "experience, knowledge and political leadership, which would be invaluable to the mission." Former President Kufuor during his tenure as Head of State of Ghana and Chairman of the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) played a key role in restoring peace to Cote d'Ivoire. He was recently invited to address a national conference of all the political parties in that country to help to re-engage them in the electoral process, which had stalled. The Carter Foundation has had a presence in Cote d'Ivoire since 2008 and has observed the multiple phases of the voter registration and national identification processes. 27 Oct. 10