Annan: Africa can overcome her problems if..

Accra (Greater Accra), 20th May 99 -

Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary General of United Nations on Wednesday said Africa can overcome the quagmire it finds itself in today if her leaders could identify the root causes and deal with them on a sustained basis.

This was contained in a message read for him at the Presidential Plenary Session of the Fifth African-African American Summit underway in Accra.

Mr Annan said Africa was struggling to come to terms with a wide range of problems, which have been compounded by political instability and insecurity.

"These problems are surmountable if we are able to identify our problems and their root causes ", he stressed.

The Session is being attended by 12 Presidents, four Vice-Presidents, one Prime Minister, one Vice-Prime Minister, a monarch, and leading American business and political leaders.

This is the largest gathering of Presidents at the Africa-African American Summit since it was first held in Cote d' Ivoire in 1991.

He said for Africa to move forward in the next millennium there is the need for a home grown agenda that look at not just short-term gains, "but long term plans and profits that have the potential to propel the continent and list it among those that count".

The UN boss said Africa has all the ingredients, resources, trained manpower, strong emerging financial markets and changing environment programmes that would be of interest to foreign investors.

"Africa must be helped to develop her capacity, saying, she has demonstrated ample evidence in this respect".

GRi?/